An investment in discovery: midcentury bank resurfaces as boutique hotel inspired by nautical glamor
A retrofit transforms the historic The Peoples State Bank into the 45-room POSH on Kirkwood boutique hotel. A five-story vertical expansion steps back progressively to respect the original structure built in 1961. Outdoor terraces and storefront windows optimize views of downtown Bloomington.
The hotel draws inspiration from a family story involving a Navy dentist whose travels sparked a love for the elegance and mystique of early sea voyages. A palette influenced by gemstones and precious metals infuses the hotel: gold paint shimmers on flooring and signage, lighting evokes pearl necklaces and bangles, rugs and headboards suggest geodes, and wallpapers refract light like gems.
The retrofit recasts the existing vault as an intimate hideaway with a seven-foot ceiling, a coin display, and a gold tile floor that flickers to mimic a twisting ring under light. A former executive office resurfaces as a café operated by local chain to maintain a community connection.
The design also takes advantage of the hotel’s adjacency to the University of Indiana campus. The Cignetti Room is named after Coach Curt Cignetti, who led the university’s 2025 football team to its first national championship. Rooted in the tradition of whiskey and cigars, it captures the feel of an English sitting room with hints of a speakeasy.
