Leventhal Walk-to-the-Sea trail gets an approval
The Boston Redevelopment Authority, the city's planning agency, approved the Norman B. Leventhal Walk to the Sea, Mayor Thomas M. Menino said today.
The one-mile trail will stretch from the top of Beacon Hill to Boston Harbor, and it will feature panels that seek to showcase four centuries of Boston and American history, the BRA said. (A rendering of one of those panels appears above, and it was provided by the BRA.)
The Walk-to-the-Sea trail will honor Leventhal, a prominent philanthropist, developer, and cofounder of the Beacon Cos., a Boston real estate firm. As a developer, he is known for such projects as the Park at Post Office Square and Rowes Wharf, among many others.
City Hall said in a press release, "From Beacon Street down State Street to Long Wharf, the Walk to the Sea will incorporate 10 architecturally designed glass-and-stainless panels with text, images, and maps, each reflecting how part of the city has been transformed."
A map buff, Leventhal contributed $10 million last year for a permanent endowment of the Boston Public Library's map center.
On the occasion of Leventhal's 90th birthday last August, Menino announced that the Walk to the Sea would be renamed in Leventhal's honor.
In a statement today, Menino said of Leventhal, "For years, he has helped to shape our city, and now we will have a lasting way to recognize his dedication in a way that will inform others of the rich history of our city."
Leventhal is a 1933 graduate of Boston Latin School, and the school's original site will be referenced on the Walk to the Sea, the BRA said.
No city funding will be used in the project, a BRA spokeswoman said; plans call for the panels to be paid for and maintained by the Mapping Boston Foundation.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)
