A Detroit Architect's Journal: Detroit Walking Tour

Its amazing to see how many buildings are under renovation downtown. So, while taking a lunchtime stroll, I decided to take pictures of some of the historic Detroit buildings currently under renovation. Where possible, you can contrast my picture with an historic photo of the building.

Farwell Building (1915)

Photo Credit

Photo Credit: R.Saxon Jr.

Named after Jesse H. and Emmer J. Farwell, the building opened in 1915. Designed by architect Harrie W. Bonnah, the building was home to attorneys, dentist and other professionals. The interior was designed entirely by Louis Comfort Tiffany and was best known for its vaulted dome lobby with thousands of inlaid tiffany glass pieces. Kraemer Design Group is the lead renovation Architect. The finished building will contain 82 residential apartments.

The David Stott Building (1929)

Photo Credit

Photo Credit: R.Saxon Jr.

Designed by architectural firm of Donaldson and Meier, the Art-Deco styled building open in 1929. Because of the Great Depression, it was the last skyscraper built in Detroit until the mid-1950s. The ground floor was once home to the SkyBar Lounge. Purchased by Bedrock Real Estate Service (Dan Gilbert) in 2015, it is undergoing a complete restoration with a scheduled opening in 2018.

T.B. Rayl Building (1915)

Photo Credit

Photo Credit: R.Saxon

Designed by Wirt Rowland, the building opened in 1915 and was home to T.B. Rayl Co., a retail hardware firm. In 1925, the small structure next door was acquired, demolished and replaced by an addition. The cornice was also removed and an 8th floor was added. In 1956, Meyer Jewelry acquired ownership and made the building its headquarters. In 1983, Eastern Wig and Hair Company made the building its home until 2014 when it was purchased by Dan Gilbert. A joint venture between Dan Gilbert's Bedrock Ventures and Shinola is renovating the building into the Shinola Hotel. Work began in 2017.

Elliott Building (Old Kresge) (1894)

Photo Credit

Photo Credit: R.Saxon Jr.

Detroit entrepreneur and developer, William Elliot, opened the building in 1894. Five years later, the ground floor would be occupied by the nation's first S. S. Kresge Five and Dime store. Originally designed by Wilson Brothers & Company of Philadelphia, the building would remain home to Kresge until 1959. Various retailers would control the ground floor space until Elliott Building, LLC acquired ownership. The new owners hired the Kraemer Design Group to lead a design team renovating the building. When completed, the building will contain 23 loft-style apartments with ground floor retail space.

Metropolitan Building (Jeweler's Building) (1925)

Photo Credit

Photo Credit: R.Saxon Jr.

In 1919, George Yost came up with the idea of centralizing a single trade into one building. Thus was born the Metropolitan Building. Opening in May of 1926, the building became informally known as the jewelers building since it housed jewelers and related businesses. Designed in the Gothic Revival style by the architectural firm of Weston & Ellington, the Detroit Free Press described the building as "one of the most unique shopping and merchandising centers ever built in America." Succumbing to Detroit's declining commercial activity, the building changed hands multiple times until closing in 1979.

A $32 million dollar renovation is now underway to covert the building into the Element Detroit at the Metropolitan Building, a 110 room hotel. The design team is being lead by Quinn Evans Architects and Patrick Thompson Design. A joint venture between the Means Group and the Roxbury Group, the hotel hopes to open in the summer of 2018.

The Vinton Building (1917)

Photo Credit

Photo Credit: R.Saxon Jr.

Named after Robert K. Vinton, a prominent Detroit building contractor, this Albert Kahn designed building opened in 1917. In 1922, the building was purchased by the Guaranty Trust Co. and the building became known as the Guaranty Building. But after the Great Depression, the bank lost its ownership rights. Ownership continued to change hands multiple times until its closing in the 1990s. In 2015, Dan Gilbert gained ownership and in 2017 began renovation of the building into apartments.

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Farwell Building

Austin, Dan, Farwell Building, Historic Detroit.org

Runyan, Robin, "Capitol Park Updates: New Residential Construction Planned; Farwell Restoration Begins," Curbed Detroit, August 30, 2016.

David Stott Building

Runyan, Robin, "Checking in on the Restoration of the David Stott Building," Curbed Detroit, June 27, 2017.

Profile on the David Stott Building, SkyscraperPage.com.

T.B. Rayl Building

T B Rayl Company Building, mgsmith, Flickr.

Rayl's Hardware on Griswold Street, Detroit Public Library, Digital Collections

T.B. Rayl Company Building/Meyer Jewelry Building, Detroit-ish.com.

Runyan, Robin, "The Shinola Hotel Takes Shape in Downtown Detroit,", Curbed Detroit, August 24, 2017.

Elliott Building