What to know about the future of Boston’s iconic Citgo Sign
Boston's iconic CITGO Sign, an enduring symbol of the city long visible from Fenway Park, is moving ever so slightly.
The sign perched above Kenmore Square at 660 Beacon St. will stay at that address, but be repositioned 30 feet higher and 120 feet to the east, city officials said.
Since 1965, the sign has become a fixture of the Boston skyline, visible from Fenway's seats and marking the start of the final mile of the Boston Marathon.
"This repositioning will ensure that the CITGO Sign remains visible in our skyline for generations to come," Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.
The sign was originally installed in 1940 as the Cities Service Sign and reinstalled in 1965 with the logo of the CITGO Petroleum Corporation.
"The CITGO Sign is a beloved treasure for Kenmore Square and residents across Boston," Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement. "I'm thrilled and grateful that so many partners came together to preserve this iconic Sign for generations to come."
The repositioning project, led by Suffolk Construction, will include construction of a new truss structure built into the sign's existing anchor platform, which connects to the core and roof of the building, CITGO said.
The sign will retain its same height and dimensions.
Officials did not specify when the project is expected to begin or finish, but said the work would kick off "in the near future." They hope to minimize the time the sign is unlit during the restoration.
The sign's future was secured, officials said, after the Federal Highway Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation added it to the list of signs lawfully in existence before passage of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965.
"With the federal and state exemptions in hand, CITGO is thrilled to take this final step in the redevelopment process of this iconic site, ensuring that our beloved CITGO Sign will continue to illuminate Kenmore Square and the City of Boston skyline for many generations to come," Karl Schmidt, CITGO's vice president of supply and marketing, said in a statement.
Efforts to preserve the sign have been underway for years .
The preservation effort gained steam in 2016 after Boston University, the former owner of the building on which the sign sits, put the property and others nearby up for sale, according to the Boston Globe.
"CITGO may think of this as their sign, but in Boston, we think of it as ours," Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan, whose district includes Kenmore Square, said in a statement. "This repositioning makes a bright future for the sign to continue to shine as the beacon of Kenmore Square."
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