HIS2009-00001 - 401 Cleveland St - Clearwater Evening Sun/LokeyHIS2009-00001
401 CLEVELAND ST
CL$ARWATER EVENING SUN/LO
PLANNER OF RECORD: GLC
ATLAS # 286B
ZONING: D
LAND USE: CBD
RECEIVED: 08/26/2009
INCOMPLETE:
COMPLETE:
MAPS
PHOTOS:
STAFF REPORT:
DRC:
CDB:
Y
CLW CoverSheet
CDB Meeting Date: October 20, 2049
Case Number: HIS2009-00001
Owner/Applicant: City of Clearwater
Address: 401 Cleveland Street
Agenda Item: EE_3
CITY OF CLEARWATER
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
GENERAL INFORMATION
REQUEST:
PROPERTY SIZE:
PROPERTY USE:
Current Use:
Proposed Use:
PLAN CATEGORY:
ZONING DISTRICT:
Historic designation of the Clearwater Evening Sun
Building (401 Cleveland Street)
2,808 square feet or 0.065 acres
Office Building
Indoor Recreation (Performing Arts Theater)
Central Business District (CBD)
Downtown (D)
EXISTING North: Office and Vacant
SURROUNDING USES: West: Mixed Use
South: Office
East: Indoor Recreation (Performing Arts Theater) and
Retail
ANALYSIS
Background
This historic designation application involves property known as the Clearwater Evening Sun
Building located on the southeast corner of Cleveland Street and Osceola Avenue in Downtown
Clearwater. The building was constructed in 1914 and housed one of Clearwater's first
newspapers, the Clearwater Evening Sun, started by William B. Powell. Sometime in the early
1930's the newspaper moved to another location and the property was occupied by a retail use
(dress shop) on the first floor and medical offices on the second floor. Over the years the
Community Development Board -October 20, 2009 -Case HIS2009-00001 -Page 1 of ~
property has been used by a variety of retail and/or office uses. The most recent long-term tenant
that occupied the building is Pat Lokey, one of Clearwater's fine women's clothing stores.
Architecturally the building is an example of commercial Masonry Vernacular with beautiful
brick detailing and an interesting fenestration pattern of groups of four double-hung sash
windows on each floor. The building has had significant changes made to the exterior including
the application of stucco, brick and vertical wood siding as well as the addition of a balcony with
wrought iron railing and oversized clamshells awnings on the second floor. Most changes
appear to be reversible.
To further downtown redevelopment efforts the City of Clearwater entered into a partnership
with Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc. regarding the purchase, rehabilitation, operation and maintenance of
this property. Ruth Eckerd Hall will manage and operate the Clearwater Evening Sun Building
in conjunction with the adjacent Capital Theater as a performing arts facility.
Standards for Designation [Community Development Code (CDC) Section 4-607.F.2 and 3]
Consistency with Criteria for Evaluating Proposed Historic Properties
Recommended Findings of Fact
Applicable criteria for evaluating the proposed historic designation of the Clearwater Evening
Sun Building are as follows:
• Whether the property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to
the broad pattern of city, state or national history [CDC Section 4-407.F.2.a].
The Clearwater Evening Sun Building has contributed to the history of Clearwater in several
important ways. It has had a major influence on the social and community life of Clearwater
both through its key location on Cleveland Street, the City's main street, and through its
important commercial tenants. Of particular significance is its original occupant, the
Clearwater Evening Sun, one of the City's first newspapers. The building has also housed
several very prominent businesses with long tenancies including the Betty Lane Dress Shop
(almost 20 years) and most recently Pat Lokey (approximately 10 years).
• Whether the property is associated with the lives of persons significant in history [CDC
Section 4-407.F.2.b].
The property proposed for designation was the home of the Clearwater Evening Sun founded
in 1914 by Willis B. Powell. Prior to that, Mr. Powell owned the Independent, a weekly
newspaper founded in 1906. In 1907 Mr. Powell changed the paper's format and it became
St. Petersburg's first daily newspaper, the Evening Independent. The newspaper's editorials
and the owner's political influences contributed to the separation of Pinellas County from
Hillsborough County in 1912 and the designation of Clearwater as the county seat in 1917.
David O. Batchelor bought the Clearwater Evening Sun in 1916 and operated it until he sold
it and the building in 1924. The property ultimately reverted back to Mr. Batchelor during
the Great Depression and remained in the Batchelor family until 1977.
Community Development Board -October 20, 2009 -Case HIS2009-00001 -Page 2 of ~
• Whether the property posses distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of
construction or the representation of the work of a master, or the possession of artistic values
[CDC Section 4-407.F.2.c].
After the fire of 1910 that destroyed all of the commercial wooden structures on the north
side of Cleveland Street in the block between Ft. Harrison and Osceola Avenues, all
structures had to be constructed of masonry or brick construction. The Clearwater Evening
Sun Building had to comply with this new requirement and is an outstanding example of
commercial Masonry Vernacular. The building is a two-story structure built of red brick
with decorative brickwork in horizontal and vertical patterns. Its fenestration is arranged in
groups of four double-hung sash windows on each floor. A total of five bays are located
along Osceola Avenue and one bay along Cleveland Street. The building also had a metal
canopy on the Cleveland Street facade supported by chains.
• Whether the property yielded or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or
history. [CDC Section 4-407.F.2.d].
There is no evidence that the Clearwater Evening Sun Building yields information important
in prehistory or history.
Recommended Conclusions of Law
The Clearwater Evening Sun Building is eligible for historic designation as the property is
associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
Clearwater history, is associated with the lives of persons significant in Clearwater's history and
possesses distinctive characteristics of a type, period and method of construction.
Classification of Property
Recommended Findings of Fact
Community Development Code Section 4-607.F.3 specifies that historic properties shall be
classified as exceptional, excellent, notable or of value as part of the scene depending on the
number of designation criteria met. Based on the findings of fact and conclusions of law made
above, the Clearwater Evening Sun Building meets three out of the four designation criteria
including: association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns
of historic; association with the lives of persons significant in history; and association with
distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction.
Recommended Conclusions of Law
The Clearwater Evening Sun Building is considered "excellent" as it meets the criteria
established in Community Development Code Section 4-607.F.a, b. and c.
Community Development Board -October 20, 2009 -Case HIS2009-00001 -Page 3 of 5
IMPACT OF PROPOSED DESGINATION
The proposed historic designation of the Clearwater Evening Sun Building will further the
following policies of the Downtown Clearwater Redevelopment Plan:
Policy 4: Renovation, rehabilitation and reuse of historic resources are encouraged. Flexibility
through the site plan review process should be utilized so that historic resources may be
retained and reused.
Policy S: The City shall pursue various strategies, incentives and planning tools that will assist in the
preservation of historic resources.
The historic designation of the Clearwater Evening Sun Building will filrther implementation of
Strategy 20 of the Plan which supports locating a performing arts theater in Downtown and
providing assistance, as needed, with land acquisition, land assembly, building rehabilitation and
parking facilities development to support the use.
The historic designation of this building will require any building improvements to be consistent
with the design guidelines established in the Downtown Clearwater Redevelopment Plan for the
rehabilitation of historic structures. These guidelines are modeled on the Secretary of the
Interior Standards for Rehabilitation. It is anticipated that the historic designation of the
Clearwater Evening Sun Building will strengthen the property's eligibility to obtain historic
preservation grant/loan funding.
Applicable Objectives and Policies from the Future Land Use Element of the Clearwater
Comprehensive Plan in support of the historic designation of the Clearwater Evening Sun
Building area as follo~ .'s:
Objective A.6.3 -The City shall encourage the implementation of historic overlay districts, the
maintenance of existing historic properties, and the preservation of existing neighborhoods
through the use of design guidelines and the implementation of the City's Community
Development code.
Policy A.6.3.1 -The City Council shall consider designating historic properties and districts
within the City of Clearwater; designations shall be consistent with the standards for designation
found in the City's Community Development Code. Procedures identified in the Community
Development Code should be amended to permit the City, in addition to property owners, to
initiate such designation.
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION
The historic designation of the Clearwater Evening Sun Building has been requested by the City
of Clearwater. The building is an excellent example of commercial Masonry Vernacular and one
of the oldest commercial buildings in downtown. It was the home of one of Clearwater's first
newspaper and is associated with Willis B. Powell and the Batchelor family both of whom are
Community Development Board -October 20, 2009 -Case HIS2009-00001 -Page 4 of 5
both important to Clearwater's history. The Clearwater Evening Sun Building is an historic
property that qualifies for the classification of "excellent."
Based on the above analysis, the Planning Department recommends the following action on the
request:
Recommend APPROVAL of the historic designation of 401 Cleveland Street, the
Clearwater Evening Sun Building with the classification of excellent.
`; ~.
Prepared by Planning Department staff. ~ - ~~ _ ~ ,~~ ~~~~~~~ ~ !.~ ~ ~~--"
Gina L. Clayton, Assistant Planning and
Development Director
Attachments:
Location Map
Aerial Photograph of Site and Vicinity
Resume
Community Development E3oard -October 20, 2009 -Case HIS2009-00001 -Page 5 of 5
Gina L. Clayton
100 South Myrtle Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33756
727-562-4587
~ina.clayton~mvclearwater.com
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
• Assistant Planning Director
City of Clearwater
Apri12005 to present
Responsible for assisting the Planning Director in directing the day-to-day planning and zoning
operations including the supervision of the Long Range Planning Manager and Development
Review Manager. Serve as staff the Community Development Board and City Council.
• Long Range Planning Manager
City of Clearwater 2001 to 200
Responsible for numerous aspects of the Growth Management Act of Florida such as
comprehensive planning, Future Land Use Plan amendments, rezoning, and annexations.
Supervise long range planning staff. Serve as staff to the Community Development Board and
present long range cases/issues to the City Council. Responsible for the preparation of special
area plans and the site plan review process within the Downtown Plan area. Serve as the city's
representative on countywide and regional planning agency committees.
• Senior Planner
City of Clearwater 1999 to 2001
Responsible for various long rang planning projects/studies including the preparation of major
amendments to the Community Development Code, updates of special area plans, and the
development of neighborhood plans and test amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. Served as
staff to the Community Develop Board, presented projects to the City Council and served as the
city's representative on the Pinellas Planning Council's Planners Advisory Committee.
• Community Development Director
City of Indian Rocks Beach 1997 to 1999
Responsible for the administration of the city's planning, building and code enforcement
functions. Served as staff to the City Commission, Planning and Zoning Board and Board of
Adjustments and Appeals. Administered the land development regulations, processed future
land use plan amendments and rezonings. Prepared numerous amendments to the land
development code and conducted special planning studies. Responsible for the administration of
the Community Rating System and the flood regulations. Served as the city's representative on
countywide and regional planning agency committees.
• Planner
City of Solon, OH 1993 to 1996
Responsible for drafting significant portions of a new zoning code. Drafted a new sign ordinance
and new driveway regulations. Prepared proposal for CDBG funding for do~vnto~vn streetscape
project and prepared requests for proposals for master land use plan and master recreation plan.
• City Planner
City of Avon Lake, OH 1991 to 1993
Responsible for the administration of the planning functions of the City. Served as staff to the
City Council and Secretary to the Planning Commission. Administered subdivision regulations
and zoning code. Updated planning documents including the Future Land Use Plan and the
Comprehensive Park and Recreation Plan. Revised sections of the Avon Lake Subdivision
Regulations and zoning code.
• Zoning Administrator
City of Cleveland Heights, OH 1988 to 1991
Responsible for administering the zoning code which included the preparation of all research,
agendas, legal notices, action sheets and resolutions related to variance and special exception
requests. Presented zoning cases to the Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission, Board
of Control and City Council. Supervised zoning secretary and intern.
• General Development Planner
City of Cleveland Heights, OH 1987 to 1988
Responsible for preparing the City's first Strategic Development Plan. Compiled and analyzed
demographic, housing, economic and land use data. Developed techniques for citizen
participation and effective input from the Planning Commission in the strategic planning process.
Conducted research on various issues including poverty, historic preservation and residential and
commercial code enforcement methods.
EDUCATION
Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, 1986
Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Community Planning, Appalachian State University,
1984
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & ACTIVITIES
American Planning Association, 1987 -Present
Florida Planning Association, 1997 -Present
Ohio Planning Conference (OPC), a Chapter of the American Planning Association, 1987-1996
Co-Director, Cleveland Section of OPC, 1994-1996
Chair of Annual Zoning Workshop, Cleveland Section of OPC, 1994 and 1995.
Coordinator and Moderator, "The Basics of Zoning and the Tools for Managing Change,"
1995
Speaker, "Job of the Zoning Administrator," 1994
Clearwater
Planning Department
100 South Myrtle Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33756
Telephone: 727-562-4567
Fax: 727-562-4865
^ SUBMIT ORIGINAL SIGNED AND NOTARIZED APPLICATION
PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT
A. APPLICANT, PROPERTY OWNER AND AGENT INFORMATION: (Code Section 4-202.A)
APPLICANT NAME: City of Clearwater (Attention Rod Irwin, Assistant City Manager)
MAILINGADDRESS: 112 S. Osceola Avenue
PHONE NUMBER: FAX NUMBER:
CELL NUMBER: EMAIL:
__ __ -
PROPERTY OWNER(S): Clty Of Clearwater
List ALL owners on the deed
B. PROPERTY INFORMATION: (Code Section 4-202.A)
BUSINESS NAME:
STREET ADDRESS
PARCEL NUMBER(S):
PARCEL SIZE (acres):
LEGAL DESCRIPTION
ZONING DISTRICT:
SPECIAL AREA PLAN
CASE #:
RECEIVED BY (staff initials):
DATE RECEIVED:
HISTORIC DESIGNATION APPLICATION
(Revised 06/26/2009)
Clearwater Evening Sun/Lokey
Building
401 Cleveland Street, Clearwater, Florida
16-29-15 -203 5 8-002-0071
__0.064 PARCEL SIZE (square feet): 2,808
West%2 of Lot 7, JOHN R. DAVEY'S RESUB OF BLOCK B (per Plat Book H-1,
Page 87, Public Records of Hillsborough County, Florida, of which Pinellas County
was formerly a part)
D (Downtown)
CBD (Central Business District on Comprehensive Land Use Plan)
C. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: (Code Section 4-607.8)
X A map showing the location and boundaries of the property or district;
^ Report including the historic, architectural or archeological value of the property or district, and it's relationship to the history, government or ',
culture of the City;
^ Present and projected economic trends and conditions relating to the maintenance, development or redevelopment of the property or district;
^ A list of contributing and noncontributing properties within the district.
C:IDoCUments and SettingslRLuzardolLocal SettingslTemporary Internet Filesl0LKE31Historic Preservation Application Clearwater Evening Sun Building.docx
Page 1 of 2
D. STANDARDS FOR DESIGNATION: (Code Section 4-607.F)
X Whether the property or district is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad pattern of city, state or national
history;
X Whether the property or district is associated with the lives of persons significant in history;
X Whether the property or district possesses distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, or the representation of the work
of a master, or the possession of artistic values;
O Whether the property or district has yielded or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or history.
E. SIGNATURE:
I, the undersigned, acknowledge that all representations made
in this application are true and accurate to the best of my
knowledge and authorize City representatives to visit and
photograph the property described in this application.
Signature of property owner or representative
STATE OF FLORIDA, COUNTY OF PINELLAS
Swom to and subscribed before me this day of
A.D. 20 by
who is personally known to me
or who has produced
as
identification.
---
Notary public,
My commission expires:
C:IDocuments and SettingslRLuzardolLocal SetGngslTemporary Internet Filesl0LKE3Wistoric Preservation Application Clearwater Evening Sun Building.docx
Page 2 of 2
CLEARWATER EVENING SUN
HISTORIC DESIGNATION REPORT
CITY OF CLEARWATER
PREPARED BY
R.J. HEISENBOTTLE ARCHITECTS, P.A.
JULY 23, 2009
THE CLEARWATER EVENING SUN HISTORIC DESIGNATION REPORT
INTRODUCTION
The Clearwater Evening Sun Building, located at 401 Cleveland Street, Clearwater, Florida, is being
proposed for Historic Designation as an Individual Historic Property, pursuant to Section 4-607. Historic
Designation, of the Municipal Code.
In compliance with the requirements under Section 4-607. B. Application, the following is being provided:
1. The location and boundaries of the property or district: This information is being provided under
Section B. "Property Information" of the attached "Historic Designation Application."
2. The historic, architectural, or archaeological value of the property or district, and its
relationship to the history, government or culture of the city:
• Information substantiating architectural value of the property is provided in the "PHYSICAL
DESCRIPTION" Section of this DESIGNATION REPORT.
• Information substantiating historic value of the property is provided in the "STATEMENT OF
SIGNIFICANCE" Section of this DESIGNATION REPORT.
• There are no known archaeological sites on the property, and no archaeological investigation was
conducted as part of this report.
• Relationship to the history, government and culture of the city is addressed under the "Clearwater
History" section of the "STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE."
3. Present and projected economic trends and conditions relating to the maintenance, development
or redevelopment of the property or district:-Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc. will manage and operate the
Clearwater Evening Sun Building in conjunction with the Capitol Theatre as a performing arts facility
and will participate, along with the City, in securing and providing the funds necessary for
construction, operation and maintenance of both properties.
4. A list of contributing and noncontributing properties within a district: Not applicable. The
Clearwater Evening Sun Building is being proposed for individual historic designation.
Regarding Section 4-607. F. Standards for Designation, The Clearwater Evening Sun Building meets
Criteria A, B and C for designation as follows:
A. Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
history... The Clearwater Evening Sun Building is one of the oldest, most significant commercial
buildings in downtown Clearwater. It was originally built in 1914 as the home of the "Clearwater
Evening Sun", one of the first newspapers in Clearwater. It is significant for its association with
the newspaper industry and as the home to some of the best-known, most important commercial
establishments in downtown Clearwater since the 1930s.
B. Association with the lives of persons significant in history. The Clearwater Evening Sun
Building is significant for its association with Willis B. Powell, an influential figure in the creation
of Pinellas County and with the Batchelor family, who owned the building for over sixty years.
C. Association with distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, or
representative of the work of a master... The Clearwater Evening Sun Building possesses significance
as an outstanding early example of commercial Masonry Vernacular architecture and for its fine use and of
brickwork.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Present Anaearance (See Photo # 1)
The Clearwater Evening Sun Building is a fine example of early commercial Masonry Vernacular
architecture, with fine attention to fenestration and brickwork detailing. It is a long, narrow, two story brick
structure located at the corner of Cleveland Street and Osceola Avenue, one of the major intersections in
downtown Clearwater. The building has undergone significant surface alterations, but these are mostly
reversible and under current restoration plans the structure will be returned to its original appearance.
Presently the building has a flat built-up roof behind a flat parapet with a continuous molded cornice.
Exterior surface materials are a combination of smooth stucco, brick and vertical wood siding, all painted
white. The original brick facing is still in place behind the stucco and wood siding surfaces. The ground
floor has arched openings with fixed glass panels along Osceola Avenue, the long side of the building. The
original rhythm of the fenestration, consisting of windows arranged in groups of four, has been altered as
many of the openings have been enclosed. The short side along Cleveland Street has two arched glass
openings-the main doorway and a fixed glass opening similar to the ones on the Osceola Avenue side.
An overhanging balcony addition with a wrought iron railing wraps around both sides of the building. The
second story retains much of the original window configuration. There are three windows on the Cleveland
Street side. On the Osceola Avenue side, windows are arranged in groups of four as per original design. Of
the original five groups of four windows, the middle group has been enclosed with vertical wood siding,
while two groups of four windows each remain as originally designed. The original double hung sash
windows on the second story appear to still be in place, as some retain the irregular hand-made glass panes.
Each group of four windows is covered by an oversized clamshell awning, appearing very much out of
scale with the original fenestration.
The ground floor interior has an open plan, with a staircase addition toward the rear of the space. Upstairs
the space is divided into small offices. _
Orieinal Ao~earance
The Clearwater Evening Sun Building was originally faced in red brick laid in interesting combinations of
horizontal and vertical brickwork patterns. Fenestration is arranged in groups of four double-hung sash
windows on each floor, separated by vertical structural supports defined by a change in brick pattern.l The
wall plane of each window bay is slightly recessed from the main wall plane. Above each second story
window bay there is a slightly recessed horizontal panel. The panel on the Cleveland Street side has a
"Clearwater Evening Sun" sign inscribed in the panel. There are five bays of these window groups along
the Osceola Avenue side and one bay along Cleveland Street. There is a simple metal canopy on the
Cleveland Street front suspended by chains.2 Early photographs show three windows on the Cleveland
Street second story elevation, but a later photo from 1952 shows a door with a wrought iron railing on the
left opening. The same photograph shows that the canopy on the Cleveland Street side now turns the corner
and continues along the entire length of Osceola.3
Except for the above mentioned minor changes to the original exterior physical appearance, the building
remained fairly unchanged until a 1976 photograph shows it having undergone substantial changes.4
1. Photo # 2. 1924, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Systems, Photo Collection
2. Photo # 3. Circa 1920. Heritage Village Archives & Library Photo Collection.
3. Photo # 4. 1952, Tax Assessor's photo, Heritage Village Archives & Library Photo Collection.
4. Photo # 5. 1976, Heritage Village Archives & Library, Photo Collection.
According to the photo, the building's original brick exterior has been mostly stuccoed over, its original
window arrangement in groups of four has been altered, and the ground floor windows now sport arched
openings. Soon after the Pat Lokey store occupied the structure in 1996, new oversized clamshell awnings
were added to second story openings and the canopy over the ground floor has been turned into a wrap-
around balcony by the addition of a wrought iron railing, further distracting from the original appeazance.5
No photos or records documenting the original interiors of the building have been discovered. A 1923
Sanborn Insurance map, however, shows a lobby at the front end, followed by a "linotype machines" space,
a "press" space and a "heating boiler" room toward the back.6
Proposed Plans for Future Annearance
Current restoration plans will substantially return the building to its original appearance, replacing the
exterior azchitectural details and materials, such as the fenestration rhythm and the red brick finish. The
interior will be rehabilitated to serve as lobby space and other functions related with the operation of the
newly restored Capitol Theatre next door.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Cleazwater Evening Sun Building is one of the oldest, most significant commercial buildings in
downtown Clearwater. It was originally built in 1914 as the home of the "Clearwater Evening Sun", one of
the first newspapers in Clearwater. It is significant for its association with the newspaper industry and as
the home to some of the best-known, most important commercial establishments in downtown Cleazwater
since the 1930s. It is also significant for its association with Willis B. Powell, an influential figure in the
creation of Pinellas County and with the Batchelor family, who owned the building for over sixty years.
The structure also possesses significance as an eazly example of commercial Masonry Vernacular
architecture and for its fine use of brickwork.
Clearwater Histo
Dr. Odet Phillippe is credited with being the first "white settler" in Clearwater, having homesteaded Saint
Helena Plantation in the area currently known as Safety Harbor. Dr. Phillippe, a French Count, descendant
from King Louis XVI, was a surgeon in the French army under Napoleon. Upon arrival in the United States
he first settled in Charleston, S.C., but soon traveled to the west coast of Florida. He is credited with the
development of the citrus industry, by planting citrus trees in rows for easy cultivation. Dr. Phillippe
remained in the area until his death in 1869.7 Currently there is a commemorative historic mazker at
Phillippe Park.
Another important event that led to the settlement of what would become the city of Clearwater was the
establishment of Fort Harrison in 1841 as a refuge and convalescent center for wounded soldiers from Fort
Brooke during the Second Seminole War. Fort Harrison, established in an area that was named Clear Water
Hazbor, was shortly disbanded in 1842 at the end of the war, but its imprint remained.8
James Stevens, known as the "Father of Cleazwater," filed the first homestead claim in the area that would
become Clearwater in 1843, subsequent to the Armed Occupation Act adopted at the end of the Second
Seminole War. Stevens' homestead included what is now downtown Clearwater, while another
homesteader, Samuel Stevenson, acquired the land immediately to the north. Soon after, James Stevens
traded his homestead land to John S. Taylor for a slave woman. Taylor sold his land to David B. Turner and
Robert J. Whitehurst in 1854 for $800.9 Turner established the first post office in 1859. The post office was
suspended during the Civil War and reinstated after 1865, this time with Whitehurst as postmaster.lo
5. Photo # 6. 1996, Clearwater Public Library Photo Collection
6. Sanborn Insurance Map, 1923, Clearwater Public Library historic files.
7. Michael L. Sanders, Clearwater. A Pictorial History, (Norfolk, Virginia: Dotrning Company Publishers, 1983), 12.
8. Roy Cadwell, Clearwater "A Sparkling City", (Minneapolis, Minn.: T.S. Denison & Company, Inc., 1977), 59.
9. June Hurley Young, Florida's Pinellas Peninsula, (St. Petersburg, Florida: Byron Kennedy and Co., 1984), 58
10. Sanders, 13.
The town of Clear Water Hazbor was incorporated in 1891. In 1895 its name was changed to Clearwater
Harbor.ll The city name was officially changed to Clearwater in 1906.12 Cleazwater was a part of
Hillsborough County since the early days of settlement. Growing concerns that the settlers were paying
taxes and receiving few benefits due to the inaccessibility of the area from the seat of government in
Tampa, some 45 miles away, led to a strong political move in 1907 for Pinellas County to be created. After
considerable political wrangling, Pinellas became a separate county in 1912. Under pressure from St.
Petersburg to become the county seat, the City of Clearwater allocated $3,750 for the construction of a two
story wood frame courthouse to give the city a greater sense of permanence. The courthouse was built in 30
days and Clearwater used it for the next 5 yeazs. In 1916 a $160,000 bond issue allowed for the
construction of a more permanent courthouse and jail building. The structure was completed in 1917 and
that year the Florida Supreme Court granted Clearwater the county seat.l3
Development of the early settlement into a city with all the necessary amenities was swift during the latter
years of the nineteenth century. The first log cabin school house was built in 1855, followed by a more
permanent structure in 1860.14 The first newspaper was published in 1873, with Reverend Cooley S.
Reynolds as its editor.ls The first hotel, the Orange Bluff Hotel, was built in 1880 by M.C. Dwight. Soon
after Theodore Kamensky, a Russian sculptor, built the Sea View Hote1.16
But it was the Belleview Biltmore Hotel that made the greatest contribution to the promotion and
development of the Clearwater area as a tourist resort. Henry Plant, who developed the railroad that linked
Tampa with the outside world and built the luxurious Tampa Bay Hotel, completed in 1891, expanded his
interests into the Clearwater area with the construction of the Belleview Hotel.
In 1888 the Orange Belt Railway reached Clear Water. Peter Demens completed the first leg of the railroad,
passing through Clear Water as it linked Sanford, 175 miles to the east, with what would become St.
Petersburg, named after Demens' native city of St. Petersburg in Russia.17 In 1895 the Orange Belt
Railway became the Stanford & St. Petersburg Railroad, part of Plant's raikoad system. Henry B. Plant had
already acquired a group of short-line railroads and created a link from Savannah, Georgia into Tampa.lg
The Plant railroad system bought and merged in 1902 with the Atlantic Coast Line Railway, which later
merged with Seaboard Air Line Railway, later becoming the Seaboazd Coast Line.19 Plant built the Tampa
Bay Hotel as a destination for railroad travelers coming to Florida for a winter vacation. The hotel was an
elaborate Moorish-Russian inspired fantasy, complete with domes, cupolas and minarets. The architecture
and the easy access from the railroad stop were major selling points intended to attract a wealthy tourist
industry to the azea.
Soon Plant set his eyes on construction of another signature hotel, this time to promote and develop the
Clearwater area, as his railroad system expanded into nascent St. Petersburg. He bought 625 acres in nearby
Belleair, because he considered taxes were too high in Clearwater.20 The hotel site, up on a bluff, afforded
beautiful views overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The Belleview Hotel, later renamed Belleview Biltmore,
began construction in 1895 and opened in 1897. Still considered today as the largest wood frame structure
in the world, the hotel opened with 100 rooms, later expanded to 285 rooms, including a series of cottages
for guests who desired a higher degree of privacy.21 It catered to a wealthy clientele of industrialists and
the social elite, brought to the very doorstep of the hotel by a raikoad spur. The grounds, which included
two 18-hole golf courses, completed in 1905, and a circulaz asphalt track for bicycle races, attracted golf
11. Hampton Dunn, Yesterday's Clearwater, (Miami, Florida: E.A. Seemann Publishing, Inc., 1973), 11.
12. Young, 60.
13. Young, 63-64.
14. Young, 58.
15. Sanders, 13.
16. W.L. Straub, History of Pinellas County, (St. Augustine, Florida: The Record Company, 1929)
17. Sanders, 25.
18. Dunn, 23.
19. Lisa Coleman, Images of America. Clearwater, (Charleston, South Cazolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2002), 9.
20. Coleman, 9.
21. Sanders, 27.
and sports enthusiasts, rounding up the hotel's reputation as a millionaire's playground.22 Henry Plant died
in 1899, before the hotel was fully completed. His son, Morton J. Plant, completed the work and oversaw
its operation. In 1914 Morton J. Plant donated $100,000 towards the construction of the first hospital in
Cleazwater, which still beazs his name.23
The Fort Harrison Hotel, built in 1925 in the heart of downtown Clearwater at a cost of $1 million, was a
consummate symbol of the Florida 1920s real estate boom. At 12 stories in height, the 215 room hotel was
the first "skyscraper" in Clearwater. It was built by Ed Haley on land acquired from Ransom E. Olds,
pioneer automobile industrialist and founder of Olds Motor Works, which merged with General Motors in
1908. Olds was an eazly race car enthusiast, who developed the nearby city now known as Oldsmar and
built the Oldsmaz racetrack, which he later traded for the land where the Fort Harrison Hotel was built.24
The hotel had elegant interiors, including atheater/concert hall and a penthouse ballroom. In 1975 the Fort
Harrison Hotel was purchased by the Church of Scientology as its world headquarters.
Such facilities and accommodations required city infrastructure during Cleazwater's early development
days to be able to provide the services, comfort and conveniences expected of such a growing community.
By 1895 Clearwater's Cleveland Street was paved from the harbor to the recently completed Orange Belt
Railroad station with crushed shells obtained from an Indian mound near the harbor.25 Access to and from
the azea had only been possible by boat prior to the railroad. Major improvements in ground transportation
started when the first bridge connecting the mainland to what is now Clearwater Beach was completed in
1916. It was a two mile long rickety wooden bridge whose boards creaked and rattled as vehicles went over
it.26 The considerably more substantial Gandy Bridge was completed in 1924, the longest toll bridge in the
world at the time, greatly shortening the travel distance between Tampa and St. Petersburg.27 The nine and
a half mile causeway linking Clearwater and Tampa, the longest at the time, was begun in 1927 and
completed in 1934.28
Providing utilities was also of major importance in the development of Clearwater. The first city water
system was built in 1900, when a water main was installed to service an ice plant built that year by J.N.
McClung. In 1903 John R. Davey Sr. had the first telephone system installed, running from his Safety
Harbor grove to Coachman's downtown store. In 1905 McClung had the first electric light franchise in
town.29
Similarly, educational, cultural and journalistic establishments were important contributors to the
development of Clearwater during the early yeazs of the twentieth century. In 1916 the first library was
built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie.30 The Clearwater Theater opened its doors on the second
floor of the Bank of Clearwater building in 1911.31 Just a few doors down from the theater, the Clearwater
Evening Sun began operation in 1914 as one of the first newspapers in the city.
The Clearwater Evenine Sun Buildine
The structure currently known as the Lokey Building was originally the home of the Clearwater Evening
Sun. Willis B. Powell started the newspaper in 1914. Its first edition, on May 1, 1914, ran 2000 copies,
almost as many as Cleazwater's population of 2175 inhabitants that same year.32 Powell, through his earlier
22. Young, 60.
23. Straub, 94.
24. Young, 66.
25. Cadwell, 62.
26. Young, 65.
27. Pinellas Planning Council, Pinellas County Historical Background, Pinellas County Department of Planning, 1968.
28. Dunn, 30.
29. Straub, 94.
30. Cadwell, 63.
31. Photo # 7. Circa 1911, Heritage Village Archives and Library Photo Collection. Sanders, 66.
32. Philipp Harper, "Old Building Now Playing Part in Revival of Downtown" Clearwater Sun, 17 June 1979.
newspaper, The St. Petersburg Independent, was instrumental in the effort to have Pinellas County
separated from Hillsborough County.33 Powell's editorials and political influence, along with W.L. Straub,
editor and publisher of the St. Petersburg Times, John S. Taylor, future Senator and owner of the Capitol
Theatre, S.D. Harris and Dan C. McMullen among others, mounted a successful campaign that culminated
in the Florida Legislature's creation of Pinellas County in 1912 and the naming of Cleazwater as the county
seat in 1917, as previously mentioned in the "Cleazwater History" Section of the report.
David O. Batchelor bought the Sun in 1916 and retained ownership until 1924, when the properly was sold
several times but reverted back to Batchelor when subsequent owners were unable to meet mortgage
payments during the early years of the Great Depression.34 In 1924 the newspaper was sold to Oaul Poynter
and the name was changed to The Clearwater Sun. David B. Lindsay and James R. Brumby purchased and
merged the paper with The Morning Herald in 1927. By this time the newspaper's name was changed to
The Clearwater Sun and Herald. On June 1928 it was bought by Nelson Poynter, only to be sold again in
October 1928 to Victor Morgan.35 By then the newspaper had moved out of its original location at 401
Cleveland Street.
The newspaper went through a series of independent owners through the years. In 1971 it was bought by
Jefferson Pilot Publications, a subsidiazy of Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company, which in turn sold
it to the Hearst Corporation, its last owner, in 1984.36 Its local home town format could not compete with
The St. Petersburg Times and The Tampa Tribune and its circulation dwindled, going from 50,000 in 1980
to under 11,000 by 1987.37 By 1989 the Sun went from a daily newspaper to a weekly tabloid-size format,
but the move was not enough to keep it alive.38 On May 4, 1990 The Clearwater Sun was published for the
last time.39
The original home of the Clearwater Evening Sun at 401 Cleveland Street underwent a radical
transformation when the newspaper moved out. The Clearwater City Directory shows the property as
vacant in 1931. But the City Directory shows the "Betty Lane Dress Shop" occupying the building in 1934,
thus beginning a new life for the structure as one of the most important commercial addresses in downtown
Cleazwater.ao _
The Betty Lane Shop had a long run as a women's clothing store at that location, occupying the ground
floor, while the upstairs was rented as doctors' office space. The last entry for the Betty Lane Shop on
available City Directories dates back to 1952. From 1954 through 1957 the building was occupied by Bruce
Taylor Real Estate & Insurance. The 1959 City Directory shows it vacant, but in 1960 it appears rented to
John Chestnut Jr. Real Estate & Insurance. The next important tenant is John Baldwin Clothes, appearing
from 1962 through 1977.41 The property remained in the same family since 1916 until 1977, when Helen
Batchelor, daughter of David Batchelor, sold it to Rose Phifer.42 Biscayne Federal Savings and Loan
Association of Miami moved into the building in 1979. In 1985 Citicorp Savings of Florida became the
major tenant, remaining at that location through 1990. The property appears vacant in the 1991 City
Directory, but again occupied in 1992, this time by Fortune Savings Bank.43
The next major tenant appearing in the City Directory in 1993 was Pat Lokey, whose well-known women's
clothing store gave the building the name by which it is still popularly known. In 2002, while under the
ownership of Ron and Angie Chacon of Task Management Inc., Socrates Chazos, who owned the Royalty
Theater next door, tried to buy the property to expand the theater lobby and to make it into a Greek themed
33. Harper.
34. Harper.
35. Ralph Reed, Letter to Clearwater Sun Vice-President John Marsh, 1 May 1961, Heritage Village Archives & Library Collection.
36. Curtis Krveger, "Clearwater Sun Sets Quickly After Long Fade", Clearwater Times/St. Petersburg Times, 9 May 1990.
37. Jeff Stidham, "Clearwater Sun Folds After 76 Years", Tampa Tribune, 9 May 1990.
38. Bob Henderson, "'T'hanks for Listening to Our Voice", Clearwater Times, 26 July 1989.
39. Krueger. Stidham.
40. Po[k's Clearwater City Directory, 1931, 1934, (Jacksonville, Florida: R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers).
41. City Directory, 1941, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1977.
42. Harper.
43. City Directory, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1991. Cross Reference City Directory, (Tampa, Florida: Hill-Donnelly Corporation),
1992.
44. Crass Reference City Directory, 1993.
museum.45 In 2004 the Lokey Building property was sold again and Water's Edge condominium complex
across the street rented space for sales offices. The property was purchased by the City of Clearwater in
December 2008 along with the Capitol Theatre to be managed and operated by Ruth Eckerd Hall in
conjunction with the restoration and reuse of the theater.46
The Clearwater Evening Sun_Building was a handsome structure, two stories in height, fine example of
commercial Masonry Vernacular architecture, built of red brick in decorative brickwork patterns. Brick or
masonry construction was required by the local building code following the disastrous fue of 1910 that
destroyed all the commercial wooden structures on the north side of Cleveland Street between Fort
Harrison and Osceola Avenues, directly across the street.47 The building's fenestration, with five bays of
windows arranged in groups of four, gave the building a simple, yet elegant composition.
The exterior of the structure has been altered over the yeazs, as previously detailed in the "Physical
Description" Section of this report. Current restoration plans will return all the significant chazacter-
defining features and details of the building to their original appearance.
45. Eileen Schulte, St. Petersburg Times, 16 January 2002.
46. Warranty Deed, Plat Book H-1, Page 87, of the Public Records of Hillsborough County, Florida, 9 December, 2008.
47. Sanders, 66.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cadwell, Roy. Clearwater "A Sparkling City". Minneapolis, Minn.: T.S. Denison & Company, Inc., 1977.
Clearwater City Directory. Jacksonville, Florida: R.L. Polk & Co. Publishers.
Clearwater Times. Heritage Village Archives & Library.
Coleman, Lisa. Images of America: Clearwater. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2002.
Cross Reference City Directory. Tampa, Florida: Hill-Donnelly.
Dunn, Hampton. Yesterday's Clearwater. Miami, Florida: E.A. Seemann Publishing, Inc., 1973.
Fort Lauderdale Historic Preservation Board. Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Heritage Conservation Board. City of Miami Planning Department. Miami, Florida.
Photo Collection. Clearwater Public Library.
Photo Collection. Heritage Village Archives & Library. Largo, Florida.
Photo Collection. Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Systems. Tampa, Florida.
Pinellas Planning Council. Historical Background of Pinellas County. Pinellas County Department of
Planning. Clearwater, Florida, 1968.
Sanders, Michael L. Clearwater: A Pictorial History. Norfolk, Virginia: Donning Company Publishers,
1983.
St. Petersburg Times. Heritage Village Archives & Library. Largo, Florida.
Straub, W.L. History of Pinellas County. St. Augustine, Florida: The Record Company Printers, 1929.
The Clearwater News. Heritage Village Archives & Library. Largo, Florida.
The Clearwater Sun. Heritage Village Archives & Librazy. Largo, Florida.
Young, June Hurley. Florida's Pinellas Peninsula. St. Petersburg, Florida: Byron Kennedy and Co., 1984.
LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
1. Clearwater Evening Sun Building. June 2009. R.J. Heisenbottle Architects files.
2. Clearwater Evening Sun Building. 1924. Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Systems.
3. Clearwater Evening Sun Building. Circa 1920. Heritage Village.
4. Clearwater Evening Sun Building. 1952 Tax Assessor's Office Photo. Heritage Village.
5. Clearwater Evening Sun Building. 1976. Unidentified newspaper photo.
6. Clearwater Evening Sun Building. 1996. Clearwater Public Library Photo Collection.
7. Cleveland Street View. Circa 1911. Heritage Village.
~...
~~~ ~:
~~~a~°
i
.,..,~"~
~~ ~ .
~ ~ ~` ,
.-
:;.- ~ ~~,far . ,
- . ,. ~ ~.
.y _.. :'
~.,
i•
-_- _~
L
*7.
_:' - ;:, .., -.;- -may
J x ~~ P & x~ ~ °~° ° f ~ee'~.t~i+xs'+e•..« ~ t~~ ~ ~-z~.°` ~56 x - t+`~" *}'
^~ A y `
. ~ !. '~ ,.
:-
,,,~ . x. -
e - c
m
~~. .w .. -_ ,- - ~ ''
y.;
t`
~._ ._. -.
~...i.e----'---®-
ff ~~w
li
~,~
~.
,}
~ F
'f .t r~ Rai
f ..
~~ ~ .y Y
~ e
S
t
e k~ .,.
S-
] ~
II~ 7~'~
E
Y
' o
%
~~ ~
. ~ ~
c ~r
~ ~ ~~ .
.,
~~,, . ~
'~
~` x", t ~' '
o, 9.
~,
_ ~ vr.
+ ~"
~
a~ :
.~ ~ _"
ns t
'' ~Y ` ~ ~
~ ~ w ~ -_u~s.~,
i,
• ~~~ ~~
..
~ _3}~
}' :~
'~ ...
~ F~
3 -.e
^f;..
u
~ -.; - 1_i3ae=.
4~~
Y
~ w
,,: ~
f
~:9 ^
~~-.
. -- - ~liiiliti!?~R~ili'itli~'f~~i~~'~!i!i!`lilili~.~il~li[~C~~itili~i~~ i~~
.,
~:
.~~ u"
>~'~,f.
w, ;Y'~
°:
,.~`'~
~i ~ ~.
k J
`.k~ ; _ f
'{
~ y~~ ~ `i ,
~-'
~ ' ~., G
,,~, a
CAPITOL THE~'ATER RESTORATION
ClEAt1'iWAT~i - FLOFiDA
WEST' ELEVATION
s<tnl E:1 •-r3r
FOWLER ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS, INC.
1411 CCK~RT S1 Rlit, Sl.l•ITE U, CIEN(K'ATER, EIURIDA JJ]54
R4UN1: ])?.369.]U]i iA%"]?.a4'.'.S119
R.1. HEISENBO)TTIE ARCHITECTS, P.A.
]199 I''v.)NfC OF tEUN lK R.IVLF.VARU, C'URnI (:ARLES, FIURIUA 1J I la
PtEUNE: JU5.446.i l99 Fn%: JU5.446.9]i 5
ROBERT LOREELLI ASSOCIATES, INC.
18 HICKORY BEND, P.O.J. RO% 446, SPEONK NEW 1'Olt% 119)2
PHONE: 6J 1.801.3511 TAX: 631.801.351]
I IVLY 11, 2009
znA - --
/ -
. `.~. .
i~
/ ~
L
--~--
N `-~,
1
J
aO
U -- _ __-.___.
.e ~_ ~~
~ ` I I..
`4+~ J ~ .:. I i
^ 1 i I ~ -
tR
La+m J
~ I -~ I . I .
1 _
~\ } ~` I J
-..
- _. _----
278A
~~ ~`~ c 1
~ (~`-11~ 'I "I-~~ I ~ ~~ Ii -I•I i I I ~I'-'I I~ I ~~ I`I ~.I~--I~#~l-FJ.
~- ~E ~:. ~e ~ ir;~rr;a
lam-- ,.~ 1 .~, `""° J.~ - i.~~.'.LLL!, j 'j
,I,
~= I .: ,
I • I ! - r.
I I~ ~ ~,I I„ . A `i O
n f.~ .,.. i N 1 inCfi = 200 leer
~ I f <' 4B
I vI E
r -
• I • ~ • < I . ~-- ~ J ~ ` L+tu-. J i 200 100 0 200
f ~ I 5
~ ~, Feet
_..1 < c = ~
t Legend
= s ~i'
~ • ~ -- • Agreement to Annex
I'
_----- --- _ - _ 'i I, .k = (= dry owned Ropcrty.
- ~ ~ ~ CRA owned
-- -- (
f Improved
_--- ~
-r - ~ nt Leaseholtl
_-_ ~ ~ - t 7, i . ~ y i _ , , ; _ _ ~ ` '. D Parks d Recreation Area
t I. I t I ~t j =~ ~ I• I I` Outside Gearwater City Limits
1
.rt - .re I 1771 Adtrtu
I I I ` ?2~ SUB NUMBER (' - ReM to Pletl
i i , ~ , tl !1, ~ I I
' O ~ i i. l. i• ~ F I j O BLOCK NUMBER
T E I I' I ~- i• ~ ~ ~l
~ I i _ S SUB PARCEL NUMBER
I • • i • i • .i.,
`~ I I, , ` ~ ' ,LI. I> ~ ~~ PARCEL NUMBER (M8B)
~.•- . ~ lANO NOOK (COMMON ONMERSMP)
° `~ "~! ,.~iO ? , o ..° ~ I Y °.I-' ~~ .I ,.''J ~ i I i.. -__- PLATTED SUBDMSION BOUNDARY
I I
Y r
e~}, i ,' p i I I~ I tI I I ~ ~'1 ~~ LOT ONMERSMP UNE
I ! 4, ~L1 I I I ,~'~„ ~ r~ ~ OPoGINAL PLATTED LOT l1NE
(Li IL '~ t ~' I if
~ ~
~ f.
I I
i ,•
i.. i ~ ., i ,~ p , I, i. .
__ e .: -~;
C L I r
~; ,4.
I'
Jun f 5, 2009
NE 1/1 0/ 16-29.15
2866... ~
HOUSE ATLAS