The Telephone Building

F.W. Woolworth Co.

Restoration Updates

February 3, 2025 • The Telephone Building

Bee Colony Discovered and Relocated at Telephone Building

A beekeeper wearing protective gear reaches into exposed brick and wood framing during removal of a large bee colony inside the Telephone Building wall. — A licensed beekeeper carefully removes part of the west wall to access a twenty-foot-long bee colony discovered mid-restoration.

During restoration work on the west wall of the historic Telephone Building, crews discovered an unexpected resident: a thriving bee colony inside a twenty-foot-long masonry cavity. Rather than exterminate the bees, the Cleveland Street Alliance team brought in a licensed beekeeper specializing in hive relocation.

The queen bee was carefully transferred to a containment vessel and placed outside, prompting the colony to follow naturally. Once vacated, the hive structure was removed and the wall sealed. The bees now live at a nearby apiary.

This ecological approach highlighted how restoration can be environmentally conscious while preserving the architectural legacy of downtown Clearwater.

Telephone — A licensed beekeeper preserves biodiversity during west wall work.

Telephone — Twenty-foot-long bee colony discovered inside wall cavity.

Learn more about the full restoration plan for the Telephone Building.

MORE BLOGS ON THE TELEPHONE BUILDING

May 8, 2025 • The Telephone Building

Awning Painted in Historic Color Scheme at Telephone Building

May 5, 2025 • The Telephone Building

Fabrication of Corbels Begins for Telephone Building Awning Restoration

April 4, 2025 • The Telephone Building

Signature Awning Returns to the Telephone Building

January 18, 2025 • The Telephone Building

Blue Jean Insulation Boosts Sustainability at the Telephone Building

January 14, 2025 • The Telephone Building

Storefront Reinstalled at the Telephone Building

December 20, 2024 • The Telephone Building

Structural Reinforcements Installed at the Telephone Building

December 16, 2024 • The Telephone Building

Telephone Building Elevator Upgrade

December 12, 2024 • The Telephone Building

Rebuilding the North Wall of the Telephone Building

December 10, 2024 • The Telephone Building

Systems Upgrade Modernizes Historic Telephone Building

December 8, 2024 • The Telephone Building

Windows Reopen a View to the Past at the Telephone Building

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Restoration Updates | See daily progress on Historic Cleveland Street

The Telephone Building

Awning Painted in Historic Color Scheme at Telephone Building

Stucco Comes Down: Exterior Demolition Begins at Peoples Bank

F.W. Woolworth Co.

Historic Window Removal Clears Path for Accurate Restoration at Woolworth

Peeling Back the Years: Removing the Old to Bring in the New

Structural Surprise Shapes Future of 639 Cleveland

SEE ALL UPDATES

An exciting new chapter of historic restoration begins for four unique properties on Cleveland Street in Downtown Clearwater.

See the magnificent transformation now underway

FOR INFORMATION

Scott Dobbins
scott@hybridgecre.com