The twin arches of Sanborn Square were dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 28.
Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Steve Plunkett
Two distinctive arches that Boca Raton officials hope will become downtown landmarks now greet visitors to Sanborn Square Park.
The steel arches, mounted on stone-and-tile columns, arc over Northeast First Avenue at Northeast Second Street and Palmetto Park Road. The section of First Avenue was renamed Sanborn Promenade as part of the festivities.
All five City Council members attended a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 28.
Money for the arches came from cash left over from the Downtown Promenade Project, which saw pavers replace asphalt and sidewalks on First Avenue and Second Street as well as sidewalks on Boca Raton Road. Benches, bollard lighting and new trees also were part of the streetscape improvements designed to make downtown more pedestrian friendly.
The steel for the arches was fabricated in Alabama and shaped in North Carolina. It is painted the same dark green as the streetlights along the promenade.
The center of each arch is 16 feet high. The original 1955 Sanborn Square dedication plaque will eventually be featured on one base.
The Downtown Boca Raton Advisory Committee recommended First Avenue’s renaming and helped guide the project through Community Redevelopment Agency approvals.
Assistant City Manager Mike Woika said residents and businesses downtown like the new arches. “I think they’re well on their way to becoming landmarks,” he said.
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