More Than 3,000 Celebrate Completion of Historic Peoples Bank Restoration in Downtown Clearwater

More than 3,000 people filled the intersection of Cleveland Street and Fort Harrison Avenue Saturday evening to celebrate the completed restoration of the historic Peoples Bank Building and the return of its iconic four-faced clock.

The crowd packed one of downtown Clearwater’s most recognizable crossroads as the restored clock was unveiled above the corner it helped define for generations.

The celebration marked the completion of one of the most detailed historic restoration projects undertaken as part of the Cleveland Street Alliance’s ongoing revitalization of downtown Clearwater.

Originally built following the Great Fire of 1910 and transformed during the 1920s into one of downtown Clearwater’s defining Mediterranean Revival landmarks, the Peoples Bank Building has been returned to the architectural character of its historic heyday.

The restoration required an estimated 45,600 hours of work by approximately 80 craftspeople. Its colorful terra-cotta façade was recreated from archival photographs, with custom molds developed for decorative panels, friezes and architectural details. Historic window configurations, canopies, barrel-tile roof overhangs and period-inspired interior finishes were also reinstated, while modern building systems were integrated throughout the property.

At the center of the celebration was the return of the historic McClintock-Loomis clock, which once served as a shared timekeeper and familiar meeting point for downtown Clearwater.

Master horologist David Boyd and his team spent approximately 700 hours over five months restoring the clock. Its original hands and historic metalwork were preserved, new stained-glass panels were individually fitted into the housing and modern GPS-regulated clockworks were installed to provide accurate time while retaining the landmark’s historic appearance.

“Historic clocks like this don’t just keep time—they have a way of becoming part of the identity of a community,” Boyd told the crowd. “To me, this clock is much more than a timepiece. It is a jewel of Clearwater.”

Following a public countdown, the clock was unveiled above the restored building as the crowd filled Cleveland Street and Fort Harrison Avenue.

The celebration extended beyond the unveiling itself. Before the event, downtown restaurants welcomed waves of visitors arriving for dinner, and afterward, members of the public entered the Peoples Bank Building to see its restored interiors for the first time. The final attendance count was approximately 3,150.

The restored building now once again anchors one of downtown Clearwater’s most visible intersections—reintroducing a historic landmark not merely as a preserved structure, but as an active part of Cleveland Street’s future.

The completion of the restoration also prepares the Peoples Bank Building for its next chapter. Additional details regarding the building’s future ground-floor restaurant will be announced later this week.

As restoration, construction and new business activity continue advancing across Cleveland Street, the return of the Peoples Bank Building and its historic clock marks another major milestone in the continuing transformation of downtown Clearwater.