The town clock strikes 'ye olde' spending feel

Ranging from a modest 10 feet to a striking 20 feet tall, post or “street” clocks typically come in black or green cast aluminum. They are often decorated with filigree, scrolling, or gold-tooling, and usually have the town name spelled out in decorative letters. Optional chimes play anything from holiday music to the high school’s fight song. According to Jeannie Porter of the Verdin Co., which manufactures bells and clocks, when the town of Ramapo, N.Y., recently ordered seven clocks from her company, they had them programmed to play a greeting from the mayor during the morning and evening rush hours.

“Most places, as they begin to think of rejuvenation, try to think of some kind of ‘front door’ to the community,” says James Hartling, a planner with Urban Partners, a Philadelphia-based firm. The clocks tend to be installed in important places: in front of a significant public building, or at a prime intersection or traffic circle. But private businesses sometimes buy their own. Traditionally a status symbol anchored in front of jewelry shops, their appeal has now spread to golf clubs, funeral homes, universities, and shopping centers looking to present a “ye olde” feel. The clocks cost anywhere from $8,000 to $10,000 for a small, two-faced model to as much as $60,000 or more for a specially commissioned piece. Most popular are the four-faced models in the $30,000 range.

Ms. Porter estimates that only 30 to 40 percent of street clocks around the country are truly vintage. Since their reemergence, sales have increased on average 10 percent annually – with hundreds installed each year, say clockmakers. Thanks to the public funding, the trend shows no sign of easing off. Despite economic woes, “Cities and towns are still renovating,” says Porter. Last year, her company sold 100 of the clocks to towns in Oklahoma as part of the state’s centennial celebration. “You can’t go 10 miles in the state without seeing a Verdin clock,” she says.

Town clocks are most popular in New Jersey, says Brandie Morris of Clockmaker Electric Time Co. in Medfield, Mass., while Nevada and Wyoming may have only a few each. Much of the difference comes from a combination of regional taste, budget, and the amount of land available – for more costly clock towers – and the age and condition of commercial centers. An upscale streetscape brings in money, say city planners, by staving off the impression of blight creep and by increasing business traffic and upping property values.

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