BOSTON (WHDH) - It could be a major move for Boston’s iconic Citgo sign.
At a hearing Tuesday night, the public weighed in on whether or not the Kenmore Square standby should be officially granted landmark status.
In a 51-page report, Boston’s Landmarks Commission has recommended doing just that.
The commission references the sign’s cultural significance and its association with Boston’s sports history, saying: “The sign is an essential icon of two of Boston’s signature sports: the Boston Marathon and Red Sox baseball. Red Sox game attendees who occupy most of the seats on the first-base side in Fenway Park view the sign as a prominent object and part of the experience of the game.”
If the sign is granted landmark status, it would be protected from future development issues such as blocked views or moving the sign from its perch atop 660 Beacon St.
But not everyone is in favor of making Citgo a landmark.
Related Beal, the developers who purchased 660 Beacon from Boston University, said in a statement, “We believe the best way to preserve the Citgo sign is for the commission to allow for the study report to remain pending and to therefore serve as a guidance to the city and its agencies, property owners, developers, and the Kenmore Square community.”
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