(EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of a series celebrating the people, places and history of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall as it turns 50 this year.)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — Few people have watched Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall evolve quite like Brian Federico.

As supervisor of operations at the Ting Pavilion, Federico has spent more than two decades working at some of the city’s best-known entertainment venues. His career has taken him from the former Charlottesville Ice Park to The Paramount Theater, The Jefferson Theater, The Southern Café and Music Hall and now the Ting Pavilion, giving him a front-row seat to the mall’s transformation.

“I’ve gotten to watch this place grow and shift over time,” Federico told Cville Right Now.

For Federico, the biggest reason he’s stayed downtown all these years is simple.

“The music has kept me here,” the 65-year-old said.

Working at the Ting Pavilion, he sees firsthand how concerts continue to draw visitors not only from across Virginia but from around the country.

“The music scene is one of the reasons I’m here,” he said. “It’s vibrant, it’s eclectic and it brings people from all over.”

Federico, who moved to Virginia from New Jersey in 1999, often strikes up conversations with concertgoers visiting Charlottesville for the first time.

“People come from all over the country for shows,” he said. “I’ll talk to them about Charlottesville, Monticello, Skyline Drive. I guess I’m kind of an unofficial ambassador.”

He says it’s still remarkable that nationally recognized performers regularly stop in Charlottesville.

“To see iconic artists come to a small place like Charlottesville – that’s incredible to me.”

Perhaps Federico’s most iconic brush with fame was in 2012 when he met Bruce Springsteen after an Obama for America rally at the Pavillion. Federico said the famed New Jersey rock star was greeting political figures, who were lined up to shake his hand. Federico and his wife joined the line.

While touring acts help fill venues, Federico also appreciates the city’s homegrown music community.

“The local music scene really intrigues me,” he said. “They’re always promoting local musicians and they’re doing something right because the venues are constantly booked.”

Over the years, Federico has noticed the Downtown Mall becoming busier and more vibrant.

“I think it’s gotten more crowded, which is good,” he said. “There are more local restaurants, more places for people to gather.”

One of his favorite traditions comes after the workday ends.

“One of my favorite things to do after work is just sit on a bench and watch people,” Federico said. “You get the person who looks like they just came from Wall Street, then somebody with pink hair, then somebody dressed like a hippie. It’s beautiful—all kinds of people.”

Even when no concerts are scheduled, he says the pedestrian mall remains lively.

“People are packed on the mall just to enjoy it,” he said. “It’s kind of pretty at night with all the lights. They’re getting ice cream or going to dinner.”

When asked what makes the Downtown Mall unique, Federico doesn’t hesitate.

“This is like the crown jewel of Charlottesville,” he said. “If Charlottesville is a jewel, the Downtown Mall is the diamond.”

He describes the mall as the city’s gathering place – a destination that offers something for everyone.

“I think it’s where everybody comes to hang out,” Federico said. “There are other restaurants and bars in Charlottesville, but on a nice summer day, this is the place to be.”

Whether someone is attending a concert or simply spending an evening downtown, he believes there’s no shortage of reasons to visit.

One chapter of downtown that Federico still remembers fondly is when the Mall included Charlottesville Ice Park.

“I miss the Ice Park,” he said. “That was the place.”

He recalls the facility bringing visitors from across the region for hockey, figure skating and community events.

“There were a lot of good times there,” Federico said. “The Ice Park brought a lot of people downtown. Hockey’s a hard sell in Virginia, but people came from all over for the leagues and the figure skating. It was a big draw.”

When people ask about what occupies the space today, he jokes with a smile:

“It’s not the ice rink.”

Federico credits the city’s entertainment venues and community events with making the Downtown Mall feel welcoming to a wide range of people.

“The music attracts a lot of different people,” he said. “We have all different-sized venues, so we get all kinds of bands and all kinds of people.”

Events like Paint the Town Orange also highlight the connection between the University of Virginia and the broader Charlottesville community.

“When they do Paint the Town Orange, it really brings everybody together,” he said. “You see UVA and the city coming together—that’s pretty cool.”

He also points to the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the Downtown Mall looking its best.

“They really pay attention to this place,” Federico said. “They’re always working on the bricks, the landscaping, the flowers. Every morning there’s someone sweeping and emptying the trash.

“They take very good care of it because this is the crown jewel of Charlottesville.”

After more than 20 years working in downtown venues, Federico has watched Charlottesville grow alongside the crowds filling its sidewalks and concert stages. Through it all, he says the Downtown Mall has remained what he believes it has always been: the heart of the city.

Read the rest of Charlottesville Right Now’s series on the Downtown Mall with these links:

Fridays After Five: 38 Years of the Downtown Mall Soundtrack

CPD Officer Matt Ryan reflects on one year of walking the Downtown Mall