In response to the global demand for sustainable development in urban areas, there is an urgent need to enhance the ecological environment of urban areas. Urban renewal through sponge cities has become an effective method for achieving this goal. As one of the most dynamic elements in urban spaces, manhole covers play a crucial role in enhancing the city’s image. To facilitate urban redevelopment effectively, improve the functionality of urban manhole covers, and promote sustainable urban development, this study explores ecological design factors for urban manhole covers, providing recommendations for future designs in China. Grounded on existing literature research and the urban redevelopment planning of the central district in Maanshan City, the FAHP method was used to determine the weights of five indicators containing environmental esthetics, ecological sustainability, intelligent detection, intelligent interaction, and safety, and scientifically constructed the ecological design and evaluation index system of intelligent grass pot manhole cover. The weighted average algorithm was used to obtain the index priority ranking, and the most critical elements were selected for design and refinement. The evaluation results indicate that safety, ecological sustainability, and the enhancement of the ecological design of intelligent manhole covers show the most significant improvement. The research outcomes can be used as a reference for enhancing urban ecological environments, promoting urban regeneration, and advancing sponge city construction.