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CITGO sign to be brighter and greener

Gracing Kenmore Square since 1965, Boston’s CITGO sign is being revamped.

Often placed in the same league as local landmarks Faneuil Hall and the Prudential Tower, the remodeled sign will feature new reliable LED units and better flash regulators, contributing to an overall brighter Boston skyline.

The renovation is expected to begin in early spring and last three months, according to a press release from Poyant Signs Account Executive Geoff Diehl, who is also a Republican candidate for state representative of the 7th Plymouth district.

Supervising the renovation will be Marty Foley, owner of Foley Electric and caretaker of the sign since its construction.

Poyant Signs, a New Bedford-based company that specializes in the construction and renovation of signs, is expected to perform the changes. In addition to new lights, the sign will receive a power-wash and installation of motion controllers.

“Advances in the technology and materials used to produce the new LED lighting make this the right time to adapt the sign and we are very excited to work on one of the more prominent features of the Boston skyline,” Diehl said in the press release.

“It comes at a time when, based on the challenges in the local economy, we can provide steady work for our installation crews assigned to the job,” Diehl said.

It will not be the first time the famous sign has undergone a renovation. LED lights were transplanted into the sign five years ago to replace neon tubing, which could not handle Boston’s notoriously dramatic weather, according to the press release.

In 1983 CITGO had even planned to demolish the sign, but after residents opposed the removal the Boston Landmarks Commission halted the move.

The double-faced 60 by 60-foot sign has been one of Boston’s most recognized symbols and has established itself in the city’s history.

“Ever since 1965, the CITGO sign has held a place deep in the hearts of Boston residents,” the CITGO website says. “Photographs of the sign appear on postcards, in newspapers, movies, books, tourism brochures and even in Life magazine.”

The sign is also a key reference points for students at Boston University’s Charles River Campus. Some students on Facebook who navigate around campus with the sign’s help even created a group called “The CITGO sign is my North Star.”

“It’s a nice landmark,” said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Sylvia Lewin. “It’s nice to be able to see it when I’m coming back to the city.”

The landmark is also a telltale symbol and a sign of encouragement for Boston Marathon runners who pass by it in their annual race.

“I saw it in my 20th mile, looming like a pyramid above Kenmore Square. It gave me strength, and I knew the race’s end was near,” said one marathon runner on CITGO’s website.

The sign is featured prominently over the left field wall at Fenway Park and is seen by thousands of fans every game, both at the stadium and on television.

Still, not all Bostonians have an esteemed pride for the CITGO sign. Sarah Hemperley, who works for security in Shelton Hall said she thinks the red, blue and white lights are a waste of energy.

“It makes me think of what a waste the lights are,” she said. “Everybody wants to be green, yet [the sign] is quite the energy waster. Solar panels would make a huge difference. They would be so much better.”

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