Mayor Charlie Hales' decision to evict a growing homeless camp from the Southwest 4th Avenue sidewalk is only the first stage of a plan to transform the plaza in front of City Hall.



The next step: food carts.



WW recently learned Hales met with staffers in the city's facilities department in recent weeks to discuss adding food carts, coffee carts and tables to the City Hall plaza and lobby—essentially turning the 118-year-old building into a cart pod.



Hales confirmed these discussions to WW this afternoon.



"City Hall and the Portland Building should be the people's buildings," Hales says. "It should make sense for people downtown to drop by City Hall to grab a cup of coffee or a snack or lunch; to meet friends here; to consider this as their building. That's our goal."



Hales spokesman Dana Haynes says the mayor's plan is still in talks, and the city hasn't created a timeline for adding carts.



"His vision for City Hall includes food carts and coffee carts, inside the building and outside on the plaza, as well as more tables and chairs inside, and tables and chairs outside," Haynes says. "He doesn't have a timeline for this. But he has met with facilities and with other elected officials to outline the idea."