EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – A new concept in outdoor seating has made its way to Easthampton.
Say your phone battery is dead and because your outside, you think you have no way of charging it. Easthampton is changing that.
From afar, it might just look like a regular LED Sign with a bench, but get a little closer and you can see it’s a place where you can sit down and charge your phone. Easthampton has introduced the Solstreet bench.
It’s a temporary installation with an innovative design where people can sit, charge devices, and see notices for upcoming public events with an LED sign. It’s located right outside city hall at 50 Payson Avenue.
It was first introduced in NYC’s Times Square back in May and has finally made its way to Hampshire County.
“This is in the middle of our cultural district,” said Mayor Nicole LaChapelle. “There is a lot of pedestrian traffic. You can sit here and hang out and look at the pond and plug your phone in as well as look at the changing pictures.”
Solstreet benches can also be found in the Oranges, New Jersey, and sites on the Brightline between West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.
The solar street bench is 100% women-owned and fabricated in Brooklyn, NY. The bench will only be outside City Hall until September 20. There is a potential for it to come back if the city receives positive feedback.