Reviving Cleveland Street: How Halflants + Pichette Is Leading Clearwater’s Downtown Renewal
Cleveland Street at the Center of Clearwater's Story
Cleveland Street has long been the spine of downtown Clearwater. For decades, it connected commerce, civic life, and everyday routines. Shops, banks, and theaters once made the corridor a daily destination rather than a pass-through. Over time, changing development patterns and shifting priorities led to disinvestment and reduced foot traffic. Many historic buildings remained, but their potential faded behind altered facades and underused interiors.
Today, Cleveland Street is entering a new phase. Public and private efforts are focused on restoring activity, walkability, and identity to the downtown core. Architecture plays a central role in this shift. Rather than replacing history, the goal is to repair it and adapt it for current use.
Halflants + Pichette is leading two of the most important restoration projects on Cleveland Street. Through careful work on the former F.W. Woolworth Building and the Peoples Bank Building, the firm is helping shape how Clearwater’s past and future meet in the built environment.
Designing With a Deep Respect for History
Halflants + Pichette approaches historic work with a clear philosophy. Context comes before concept. Each project begins with an understanding of place, material history, and urban role rather than a predetermined visual statement.
These Cleveland Street projects are not design-build exercises driven by speed or efficiency alone. They are architect-led restorations grounded in research, documentation, and respect for original construction methods. The goal is not to freeze buildings in time, but to return them to relevance without erasing their identity.
The firm’s experience in adaptive reuse allows historic structures to support contemporary uses while maintaining architectural integrity. This approach strengthens downtown fabric rather than fragmenting it. Each decision is measured against how the building contributes to the street, the block, and the broader city.
The Woolworth Building: Returning a Local Icon to Its Roots
A Look Back
The F.W. Woolworth Building occupies a unique place in Clearwater’s history. Constructed in 1910, the building became a Woolworth store in 1928. At the time, Clearwater was the smallest city in the country to host one of the more than 1,000 Woolworth locations nationwide. That distinction made the store a point of civic pride.
For more than fifty years, the building served as a downtown anchor. It was a place where residents shopped, met, and moved through daily life. Over time, alterations to the facade and interior obscured its original character. The building remained, but its story became harder to read from the street.
What’s Being Restored
The current restoration focuses on revealing and repairing what was always there. The original brick facade will be uncovered and carefully restored. This step alone reestablishes the building’s early twentieth-century presence on Cleveland Street.
A recreated gold-lettered Woolworth sign will span the storefront, referencing the building’s historic identity without turning it into a replica or novelty. Inside, the lobby will include a permanent Woolworth history display featuring authentic product packaging and interpretive material that explains the building’s role in Clearwater’s development.
At street level, new retail space will activate the sidewalk, drawing inspiration from the scale and rhythm of adjacent historic storefronts, including the former McCrory’s. The upper level is being designed as flexible creative office space, allowing the building to support modern work while retaining its original proportions.
How the Design Respects the Past
The design strategy balances restoration with adaptation. Materials are selected for texture and durability rather than trend. Transparency at the ground floor strengthens the connection between interior activity and the street.
Shading elements, careful detailing, and pedestrian-scaled storefronts make the building approachable rather than monumental. The result is a structure that feels rooted in history while functioning as part of a contemporary downtown.
The Peoples Bank: A Mediterranean Revival Jewel Reimagined
Historic Significance
The Peoples Bank Building sits at a prominent corner where Fort Harrison Avenue meets Cleveland Street. Originally constructed in 1910, the building was redesigned in the 1920s in the Mediterranean Revival style that came to define much of Florida’s coastal architecture.
For decades, the building acted as a visual marker and financial center. Its architectural language communicated permanence and civic confidence. Later modifications dulled those qualities, masking original materials and details.
Key Design Elements
Restoration work begins by removing later stucco layers to reveal original construction beneath. This process allows the design team to understand the building’s true structure and material palette.
The Mediterranean tile facade is being faithfully recreated based on historic documentation. Attention is paid to proportion, texture, and color rather than surface decoration. One of the most recognizable elements, the historic street clock dating to the 1930s, will be fully restored and returned to working condition.
Behind the scenes, modern systems are being integrated to support current codes and usage. New mechanical systems, roof assemblies, and floor joists provide structural and functional reliability without altering exterior character. Interior spaces are being rebuilt to reflect 1920s-era scale and detailing while supporting modern occupancy needs.
Program and Use
The restored building will include two ground-floor retail spaces that engage both street fronts. Upper levels are planned for creative office use, supporting daily activity beyond business hours.
Historical lighting, corner activation, and restored details enhance the building’s presence at the intersection. The project reinforces the idea that historic buildings can support contemporary economic life without sacrificing identity.
Why Cleveland Street Matters
Cleveland Street is more than a collection of buildings. It is the framework for downtown life. Revitalization efforts here influence how residents and visitors experience Clearwater as a whole.
Organizations such as Cleveland Street Alliance play a role in coordinating events, programming, and public improvements. Architectural restoration adds a physical foundation to these efforts by creating spaces worth walking to and staying in.
Ground-floor activity, shade, and visual interest encourage walking rather than driving through. Restored buildings bring history back into daily routines rather than isolating it behind plaques or museums. Commerce, culture, and memory coexist in the same spaces.
Halflants + Pichette’s Role in Shaping a More Connected Clearwater
As Clearwater architects, Halflants + Pichette are not only restoring individual structures. They are shaping how downtown functions as an interconnected environment.
Each design choice considers how buildings relate to one another, how streets feel at eye level, and how history informs future growth. The firm’s work demonstrates that preservation and progress are not opposing forces.
By leading architectural vision on Cleveland Street, Halflants + Pichette help bridge Clearwater’s past and future. Their approach positions architecture as a tool for continuity rather than disruption, supporting long-term urban health across Florida.
See the Progress, Be Part of the Future
The restoration of the Woolworth and Peoples Bank buildings is visible proof of downtown Clearwater’s momentum. Residents, visitors, and professionals can observe progress firsthand along Cleveland Street as work continues.
Those interested in adaptive reuse, historic preservation, or urban revitalization can follow these projects through local coverage, site visits, and project signage. Collaboration and informed design remain central to this work.
To learn more about these projects or to discuss future revitalization efforts, reach out to Halflants + Pichette. The firm continues to engage with communities, developers, and public partners shaping Florida’s evolving urban landscape.