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The Berkeley Building is a twenty-six story office
tower located in the Back Bay. It is also known as the Old John
Hancock Tower, because it was the location of the headquarters of the
John Hancock Life Insurance Company from 1947 to 1977. The company moved to
the glass tower in 1977.
A 65-foot high mast and beacon rests atop the Berkeley Building. The
total height of the tower is about
495 feet from ground level. The beacon displays bright red and blue lights
that can be seen from miles away on a clear evening.
The beacon lights are color-coded, and broadcasts the weather
forecast:
Steady Blue = Clear
Flashing Blue = Cloudy
Steady Red = Rain
Flashing Red = Snow
During baseball season, a flashing red light signals that
the
Red Sox game had been canceled due to unfavorable weather. In October 2004,
both red and blue flashed for the first time when the Red Sox won the
World Series after more than
80 years in duration.
The Berkeley Building is a Boston landmark, and dominated
the Back Bay skyline until 1964 when the
Prudential Building was
completed. The Berkeley weather beacon and the gigantic Kenmore Square
Citgo Sign are visual Back Bay "book ends," that many
Bostonians affectionately recognize at dusk during summer time.
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