If you’re trying to keep costs down without making a city plaza look like a discount park, I’d go with our MetroSlat 6-Foot Steel Bench. It’s the most affordable street bench we carry that still has a clean, civic look. Price is usually around $399–$449 depending on the powder-coat finish, and for a commercial outdoor bench that’s hard to beat.
The design is simple: a steel slat seat and back on a galvanized steel frame. It doesn’t have ornamental details, but the lines are neat enough to sit in front of a library, plaza storefront, or transit entrance without an issue. The seat height is 17 inches, overall length is 72 inches, and it comes in black, silver, or bronze. That color range helps it blend into most city plaza settings.
I’d also mention durability because a budget metal bench can cost more later if it rusts or fades. This one uses a zinc-primed frame and UV-resistant powder coat, so it handles rain, sun, and everyday public seating use well. We’ve had customers install them at shopping plazas and municipal buildings, and they still look presentable after a few seasons. Maintenance is just wiping down or hosing off.
If you need something even lower in price, we do carry a recycled plastic bench, but I won’t pretend it has the same plaza look. For a city plaza on a budget, the MetroSlat is the sweet spot between affordable price and decent appearance. I’d recommend ordering one sample first, then measuring the space to get the bench spacing right before a larger install.