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From Wikipedia

Skyline of Detroit
Tallest buildingDetroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center (1977)
Tallest building height727 ft (221.5 m)
First 150 m+ buildingPenobscot Building (1928)
Number of tall buildings (2025)
Taller than 100 m (328 ft)28
Taller than 150 m (492 ft)9
Taller than 200 m (656 ft)2
Number of tall buildings (feet)
Taller than 300 ft (91.4 m)39
The Detroit FInancial District in 2025
Downtown Detroit at night in 2025

Detroit is the largest city in the U.S state of Michigan, with a metropolitan area population of 4.4 million as of 2025. Detroit is home to 39 buildings taller than 300 feet (91 m), nine of which are skyscrapers with a height of 492 ft (150 m) or more. Detroit has one of the largest skylines in the Midwestern United States, with the third most skyscrapers above 492 ft (150 m) in the region, after Chicago and Minneapolis. The tallest skyscraper in Detroit is the 70-story Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, which rises 727 ft (221.5 m) along the Detroit International Riverfront in the city's downtown.[A][1] The skyscraper is one of seven towers in the Renaissance Center complex, which has served as the headquarters of General Motors since 1996, reflecting the city's role in the automotive industry. The Detroit Marriott is the tallest building in Michigan and was the tallest hotel building in the world upon completion in 1977; it is currently the third tallest in the Western Hemisphere.

Detroit's history of skyscrapers began in 1889, with completion of the historic 10-story Hammond Building—considered the city's first steel-framed skyscraper.[2] Detroit grew to become the fourth-largest city in the United States by the 1920s, and witnessed a massive building boom during the Roaring Twenties. Many ornate skyscrapers were build during this period, including the Penobscot, Guardian, Fisher, Buhl, and David Stott buildings.[3] This resulted in Detroit having one of the world's largest skylines at the time outside of New York City and Chicago. By 1930, the city had thirteen 300-foot buildings. The Great Depression brought an end to the boom.

Deindustrialization and suburbanization affected the growth of Detroit's skyline in the second half of the 20th century, as the city's population peaked in the 1950 census and subsequently declined. Despite this, a further 21 buildings taller than 300 ft (91 m) were completed from 1960 to 1991. This included the postmodern Ally Detroit Center, Detroit's third-tallest building, and the Renaissance Center (RenCen), which was developed as an urban renewal project aimed to address the city's decline. Downtown Detroit has been undergoing revitalization in the 21st century, bringing with it several significant restoration projects of old high-rises and several new ones. Hudson's Detroit, the city's second tallest building at 680 feet (207 m), was completed in 2025.

Most of Detroit's tall buildings are located in the city's downtown, immediately north of the Detroit River, which separates Detroit from the downtown of the city of Windsor, Canada. The Detroit–Windsor transborder agglomeration is one of few locations where high-rises in two countries are visible together. Going northwards from downtown along Woodward Avenue, shorter high-rises are scattered in the neighborhoods of Midtown, Medical Center, and New Center. The Fisher Building in New Center is Detroit's 12th tallest building. Residential towers are also sparsely found near the riverfront, east of downtown. In Metro Detroit, the city of Southfield contains a small high-rise cluster in Southfield Town Center, with a small number of towers in Pontiac and Troy. Ford and Chrysler, the rest of the Big Three automobile manufacturers, are headquartered in high-rises in the cities of Dearborn and Auburn Hills, respectively.

History

[edit]
Number of buildingsYear01020304019001920194019601980200020202040Buildings taller than 300 ft (91 m)Buildings taller than 328 ft (100 m)Buildings taller than 492 ft (150 m)Growth of skyscrapers in Detroit
Number of buildings by height in Detroit by the end of each year, based on the information in this article. Click on the legend to toggle a specific height on or off. View chart definition.

Detroit's history of skyscrapers began in 1889, with completion of the historic 10-story Hammond Building—considered the city's first steel-framed skyscraper.[2] It was followed by the Savings Bank Building in 1895, the Majestic Building in 1896, and the Union Trust Building in 1896.

Deindustrialization and suburbanization affected the growth of Detroit's skyline in the second half of the 20th century, as the city's population peaked in the 1950 census and subsequently declined. Despite this, a further 21 buildings taller than 300 ft (91 m) were completed from 1960 to 1991. This included the postmodern Ally Detroit Center, Detroit's third-tallest building, and the Renaissance Center (RenCen), which was developed as an urban renewal project aimed to address the city's decline. The five original towers, completed in 1977, make up five of the nine skyscrapers taller than 492 ft (150 m) in Detroit. Two shorter towers were added in 1981. Downtown Detroit has been undergoing revitalization in the 21st century, bringing with it many significant restoration projects and new high-rises. Hudson's Detroit, the city's second tallest building, was completed in 2025.

Downtown Detroit has been undergoing revitalization in the 21st century, bringing with it many significant restoration projects, such as that of the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel. New high-rises include Hollywood Casino at Greektown, a casino hotel, in 2009, and eXchange, the first high-rise in the U.S to be constructed using a "top-down" method, in 2023.[4][5] Hudson's Detroit, the city's second tallest building, was completed in 2025. General Motors plans to move its headquarters from the RenCen to Hudson's Detroit,[6][7] leaving two of the skyscrapers at RenCen at risk of demolition.[8]

Cityscape

[edit]
Ally Detroit CenterRenaissance CenterRenaissance CenterRenaissance CenterHudson's DetroitCadillac TowerOne Woodward AvenueColeman A. Young Municipal CenterGuardian BuildingPenobscot Building150 West JeffersonBuhl BuildingBlue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan BuildingHollywood Casino at GreektownHuntington PlaceThe QubeBook TowerFort Pontchartrain a Wyndham Hotel211 West Fort StreetFirst National BuildingFort Shelby HotelUAW-Ford National Programs CenterOne Griswold StreetMarquette Building (Detroit)
The Detroit skyline from Windsor in 2025 (Click or hover over image to identify buildings)

Map of tallest buildings

[edit]

The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 300 feet (91 m) in Downtown Detroit. Each marker is numbered by the building's height rank, and colored by the decade of its completion. Of the buildings taller than 300 feet (91 m) in Detroit, two are not visible on the map: The Fisher Building, and Jeffersonian Apartments.

Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
210m
229yds
39
38
38 Riverfront Tower 300
38 Riverfront Tower 300
37
37 Riverfront Tower 200
37 Riverfront Tower 200
36
36 Jeffersonian Apartments*
36 Jeffersonian Apartments*
35
35 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Building
35 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Building
34
34 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative
34 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative
33
33 Penobscot Building Annex
33 Penobscot Building Annex
32
32 Huntington Bank Tower
32 Huntington Bank Tower
31
31 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
31 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
30
30 Chrysler House
30 Chrysler House
29
29 AT&T Building Addition
29 AT&T Building Addition
28
28 Renaissance City Apartments
28 Renaissance City Apartments
27
27 1001 Woodward
27 1001 Woodward
26
26 RenCen Tower 600
26 RenCen Tower 600
25
25 RenCen Tower 500
25 RenCen Tower 500
24
24 AT&T Building
24 AT&T Building
23
23 First National Building
23 First National Building
22
22 Hollywood Casino at Greektown
22 Hollywood Casino at Greektown
21
21 Westin Book Cadillac Hotel
21 Westin Book Cadillac Hotel
20
20 Buhl Building
20 Buhl Building
19
19 211 West Fort Street
19 211 West Fort Street
18
18 David Broderick Tower
18 David Broderick Tower
17
17 DTE Energy Headquarters
17 DTE Energy Headquarters
16
16 Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building
16 Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building
15
15 One Woodward Avenue
15 One Woodward Avenue
14
14 David Stott Building
14 David Stott Building
13
13 Cadillac Tower
13 Cadillac Tower
12
12 Fisher Building*
12 Fisher Building*
11
11 150 West Jefferson
11 150 West Jefferson
10
10 Book Tower
10 Book Tower
9
9 Guardian Building
9 Guardian Building
8
8 RenCen Tower 400
8 RenCen Tower 400
7
7 RenCen Tower 300
7 RenCen Tower 300
6
6 RenCen Tower 200
6 RenCen Tower 200
5
5 RenCen Tower 100
5 RenCen Tower 100
4
4 Penobscot Building
4 Penobscot Building
3
3 Ally Detroit Center
3 Ally Detroit Center
2
2 Hudson's Detroit
2 Hudson's Detroit
1
1 Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
1 Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Buildings taller than 300 feet (91 m) in Downtown Detroit. An asterisk (*) next to the building's name indicates it is located outside the map.
  •  1950s and before 
  •  1960s 
  •  1970s 
  •  1980s 
  •  1990s 
  •  2000s 
  •  2010s 
  •  2020s 

Tallest buildings

[edit]

This list ranks Detroit skyscrapers that stand at least 300 feet (91 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. The "Year" column indicates the year a building was completed.

  Was the tallest building in Detroit upon completion
Rank Name Image Coordinates Height

ft (m)

Floors Year Purpose Notes
01.01 Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center 42°19′44″N 83°02′23″W / 42.328964°N 83.03978°W / 42.328964; -83.03978 (Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center) 727 (221.5) 70[A] 1977 Hotel Tallest building in the city and the state since 1977, 161st-tallest building in the United States. Tallest hotel in the world upon completion; now stands as the second tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere. Major renovation completed in 2004.[1][9] The entire complex is owned by General Motors.
2 Hudson's Detroit 42°20′00″N 83°02′51″W / 42.333412°N 83.047424°W / 42.333412; -83.047424 (Hudson's Detroit) 680 (207.3) 49 2025 Mixed-use Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 2020s. Mixed-use residential and hotel building. Designed by SHoP Architects.[10][11][12][13]
3 Ally Detroit Center 42°19′48″N 83°02′41″W / 42.33007°N 83.044861°W / 42.33007; -83.044861 (Ally Detroit Center) 619 (188.7) 43 1991 Office Formerly known as One Detroit Center. Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 1990s.[14][15] Former headquarters of Comerica Bank, current headquarters of Ally Financial. Designed by American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee.
4 Penobscot Building 42°19′49″N 83°02′51″W / 42.330273°N 83.0476°W / 42.330273; -83.0476 (Penobscot Building) 569 (173.3) 47 1928 Office When completed in 1928, the Penobscot was the world's eighth tallest building. It was the city's tallest from 1928 to 1977.[16][17] The Penobscot stands at the center of the Detroit Financial District. Designed by local American architect Wirt C. Rowland.
5 RenCen Tower 100 42°19′45″N 83°02′26″W / 42.329109°N 83.040573°W / 42.329109; -83.040573 (RenCen Tower 100) 509 (155) 39 1976 Office Part of the Renaissance Center. One of four identically tall buildings surrounding Detroit Marriot at the Renaissance Center.[18][19]
6 RenCen Tower 200 42°19′47″N 83°02′22″W / 42.329617°N 83.039566°W / 42.329617; -83.039566 (RenCen Tower 200) 509 (155) 39 1976 Office Part of the Renaissance Center. One of four identically tall buildings surrounding Detroit Marriot at the Renaissance Center.[20][21]
7 RenCen Tower 300 42°19′44″N 83°02′20″W / 42.328831°N 83.038963°W / 42.328831; -83.038963 (RenCen Tower 300) 509 (155) 39 1976 Office Part of the Renaissance Center. One of four identically tall buildings surrounding Detroit Marriot at the Renaissance Center.[22][23]
8 RenCen Tower 400 42°19′42″N 83°02′24″W / 42.328362°N 83.039978°W / 42.328362; -83.039978 (RenCen Tower 400) 509 (155) 39 1976 Office Part of the Renaissance Center. One of four identically tall buildings surrounding Detroit Marriot at the Renaissance Center.[24][25]
9 Guardian Building 42°19′47″N 83°02′46″W / 42.329655°N 83.046135°W / 42.329655; -83.046135 (Guardian Building) 495 (151) 40 1929 Office [26][27]
10 Book Tower 42°20′01″N 83°03′05″W / 42.333496°N 83.051514°W / 42.333496; -83.051514 (Book Tower) 461 (140.4) 38 1926 Mixed-use Originally an office building. The Book Tower and the adjoining 13-story Book Building underwent a nearly $400 million renovation, re-opening in 2023 as a mixed residential and retail/office space.[28]
11 150 West Jefferson 42°19′42″N 83°02′48″W / 42.328411°N 83.046608°W / 42.328411; -83.046608 (150 West Jefferson) 455 (138.7) 26 1989 Office Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 1980s. Previously known as the Madden Building. Designed by Heller Manus Architects.[29][30]
11.012 Fisher Building 42°22′10″N 83°04′37″W / 42.369308°N 83.077019°W / 42.369308; -83.077019 (Fisher Building) 445 (135.5) 30 1928 Office Designed by Albert Kahn Associates.[31][32]
12.013 Cadillac Tower 42°19′55″N 83°02′41″W / 42.331982°N 83.044853°W / 42.331982; -83.044853 (Cadillac Tower) 437 (133.2) 40 1927 Office [33][34]
13.014 David Stott Building 42°19′57″N 83°02′55″W / 42.332405°N 83.04866°W / 42.332405; -83.04866 (David Stott Building) 437 (133.2) 38 1929 MIxed-use Designed by John M. Donaldson. Converted to a mixed-use office and residential building from 2015 to 2018.[35][36]
14.015 One Woodward Avenue 42°19′44″N 83°02′43″W / 42.328808°N 83.04538°W / 42.328808; -83.04538 (One Woodward Avenue) 430 (131.1) 28 1963 Office Tallest building completed in the city in the 1960s.[37][38]
15.016 Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building 42°19′52″N 83°03′11″W / 42.331139°N 83.053146°W / 42.331139; -83.053146 (Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building) 393 (119.8) 27 1976 Government Designed by architects Smith, Hinchman & Grylls. Tallest government building in Detroit.[39][40]
16.017 DTE Energy Headquarters 42°20′01″N 83°03′28″W / 42.33374°N 83.05764°W / 42.33374; -83.05764 (DTE Energy Headquarters) 374 (114) 25 1971 Office Designed by Hungarian-American architect Emery Roth.[41][42]
17.018 David Broderick Tower 42°20′09″N 83°02′59″W / 42.335922°N 83.049759°W / 42.335922; -83.049759 (David Broderick Tower) 369 (112.6) 35 1928 Residential Fully renovated in 2012 as a mixed-use, primarily residential building. The project created residential units on floors 5-34, with the lower 4 floors dedicated to retail, entertainment, and office space. Originally known as the Eaton Tower.[43][44]
18.019 211 West Fort Street 42°19′46″N 83°02′57″W / 42.329319°N 83.049179°W / 42.329319; -83.049179 (211 West Fort Street) 368 (112.1) 27 1963 Office Designed by Harley, Ellington, Cowin & Stirton.[45][46]
20 Buhl Building 42°19′46″N 83°02′49″W / 42.329376°N 83.046989°W / 42.329376; -83.046989 (Buhl Building) 366 (111.6) 29 1925 Office Designed by local American architect Wirt C. Rowland.[47][48]
20.021 Westin Book Cadillac Hotel 42°19′55″N 83°03′01″W / 42.331871°N 83.050331°W / 42.331871; -83.050331 (Westin Book Cadillac Hotel) 349 (106.4) 31 1924 Mixed-use Originally known as the Book-Cadillac Hotel, it was the tallest hotel in the world upon completion in 1924. Closed in 1984 due to financial issues. The hotel was restored and reopened in 2008, with some space being converted to residential use.[49][50]
21.022 Hollywood Casino at Greektown 42°20′10″N 83°02′27″W / 42.336021°N 83.040962°W / 42.336021; -83.040962 (Hollywood Casino at Greektown) 348 (106.1) 30 2009 Hotel Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 2000s. Designed by Paul Curtis Steelman and GINO Rossetti.[51][52]
22.023 First National Building 42°19′52″N 83°02′43″W / 42.331108°N 83.045288°W / 42.331108; -83.045288 (First National Building) 341 (103.9) 26 1930 Office Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 1930s. Designed by Albert Khan.[53][54]
24 AT&T Building 42°19′57″N 83°03′13″W / 42.332634°N 83.053558°W / 42.332634; -83.053558 (AT&T Building) 340 (103.6) 20 1927 Office [55][56]
25 RenCen Tower 500 42°19′48″N 83°02′19″W / 42.32999°N 83.038635°W / 42.32999; -83.038635 (RenCen Tower 500) 339 (103.4) 21 1981 Office [57][58]
26 RenCen Tower 600 42°19′49″N 83°02′17″W / 42.330235°N 83.037949°W / 42.330235; -83.037949 (RenCen Tower 600) 339 (103.4) 21 1981 Office [59][60]
27 1001 Woodward 42°19′55″N 83°02′51″W / 42.331978°N 83.047607°W / 42.331978; -83.047607 (1001 Woodward) 338 (103) 23 1965 Office [61][62]
28 Renaissance City Apartments 42°19′53″N 83°02′32″W / 42.331341°N 83.042084°W / 42.331341; -83.042084 (Renaissance City Apartments) 332 (101.1) 33 1985 Residential [63][64]
29 AT&T Building Addition 42°19′55″N 83°03′13″W / 42.331959°N 83.053558°W / 42.331959; -83.053558 (AT&T Building Addition) 327 (99.7) 17 1973 Office [65][66]
30 Chrysler House 42°19′51″N 83°02′54″W / 42.330727°N 83.048195°W / 42.330727; -83.048195 (Chrysler House) 323 (98.6) 23 1913 Office [67][68]
31 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center 42°19′46″N 83°02′38″W / 42.329536°N 83.043968°W / 42.329536; -83.043968 (Coleman A. Young Municipal Center) 317 (96.6) 19 1955 Office Tallest building completed in the city in the 1950s.[69][70]
32 Huntington Bank Tower 42°20′14″N 83°03′06″W / 42.337341°N 83.051529°W / 42.337341; -83.051529 (Huntington Bank Tower) 311 (95) 20 2022 Office [71]
33 Penobscot Building Annex 42°19′47″N 83°02′52″W / 42.329666°N 83.047684°W / 42.329666; -83.047684 (Penobscot Building Annex) 310 (94.5) 23 1916 Office [72][73]
34 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative 42°20′12″N 83°02′03″W / 42.33667°N 83.03421°W / 42.33667; -83.03421 (1300 Lafayette East Cooperative) 310 (94.5) 30 1964 Residential [74]
35 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Building 42°20′04″N 83°02′22″W / 42.334316°N 83.039505°W / 42.334316; -83.039505 (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Building) 307 (93.6) 22 1971 Office [75]
36 Jeffersonian Apartments 42°21′24″N 82°59′10″W / 42.356533°N 82.985977°W / 42.356533; -82.985977 (Jeffersonian Apartments) 305 (93) 30 1965 Residential [76]
37 Riverfront Tower 200 42°19′27″N 83°03′17″W / 42.324112°N 83.054626°W / 42.324112; -83.054626 (Riverfront Tower 200) 305 (92.9) 29 1983 Residential [77][78]
38 Riverfront Tower 300 42°19′26″N 83°03′21″W / 42.323814°N 83.055733°W / 42.323814; -83.055733 (Riverfront Tower 300) 305 (92.9) 29 1983 Residential [79][80]
39 The Residences Water Square 42°19′30″N 83°03′07″W / 42.32509°N 83.05197°W / 42.32509; -83.05197 (The Residences Water Square) 300 (91)[a] 25 2024 Residential [81][82]
  1. ^ This height is an estimated figure.

Tallest buildings by pinnacle height

[edit]
Downtown Detroit's Renaissance Center in 2014

This list ranks Detroit skyscrapers based on their pinnacle height, which includes radio masts and antennas. As architectural features and spires can be regarded as subjective, some skyscraper enthusiasts prefer this method of measurement. Standard architectural height measurement, which excludes antennas in building height, is included for comparative purposes. As the pinnacle height of Hudson's Detroit has not been determined, it is not ranked below.

Rank Name Pinnacle

height

ft (m)

Standard

height

ft (m)

Reference
1 Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center 755 (230) 727 (221.5) [83]
2 Penobscot Building 664 (202) 569 (173.3) [17]
3 Guardian Building 632 (193) 495 (151) [27]
4 Ally Detroit Center 619 (189) 619 (188.7) [15]
5 Cadillac Tower 578 (176) 437 (133.2) [34]
6= Renaissance Center Tower 100 522 (159) 509 (155) [19]
6= Renaissance Center Tower 200 522 (159) 509 (155) [21]
6= Renaissance Center Tower 300 522 (159) 509 (155) [23]
6= Renaissance Center Tower 400 522 (159) 509 (155) [25]
10 Fisher Building 489 (135) 445 (135.5) [32]

Tallest buildings in Metro Detroit

[edit]
Metro Detroit
Population4,400,578
(2024 estimate)
Cities includedDetroit, Southfield, Troy
Number of tall buildings
Taller than 100 m (328 ft)34 (2025)
Taller than 150 m (492 ft)9
Taller than 200 m (656 ft)2
Number of tall buildings (feet)
Taller than 300 ft (91.4 m)45 (2025)

This list ranks buildings in Detroit's suburban municipalities that stand at least 300 feet (91 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. There are six such buildings, five in Southfield, and the remaining building in Troy. This list does not include buildings in Windsor, Canada.

Rank Name Image City Height

ft (m)

Floors Year Purpose Notes
1 3000 Town Center Southfield

42°28′41″N 83°14′46″W / 42.47801°N 83.24620°W / 42.47801; -83.24620 (3000 Town Center)

402 (122.4) 32 1975 Office Tallest building in Southfield. 15th tallest building in Metro Detroit.[84]
2 1000 Town Center Southfield

42°28′31″N 83°14′36″W / 42.47530°N 83.24345°W / 42.47530; -83.24345 (1000 Town Center)

395 (120.4) 28 1989 Office [84]
3 2000 Town Center Southfield

42°28′37″N 83°14′44″W / 42.47684°N 83.245665°W / 42.47684; -83.245665 (2000 Town Center)

370 (112.9) 28 1986 Office [84]
4 PNC Center Troy

42°33′37″N 83°09′39″W / 42.56029°N 83.16075°W / 42.56029; -83.16075 (PNC Center)

346 (105.6) 25 1975 Office Tallest building in Troy.[85]
5 American Center Southfield

42°29′24″N 83°17′58″W / 42.49005°N 83.29933°W / 42.49005; -83.29933 (American Center)

331 (100.9) 25 1975 Office [84]
6 5000 Town Center Southfield

42°28′46″N 83°14′33″W / 42.47949°N 83.24237°W / 42.47949; -83.24237 (5000 Town Center)

328 (100) 33 1983 Residential [84]

Tallest under construction or proposed

[edit]

Under construction

[edit]

This table lists under construction buildings in Detroit that are planned to be at least 300 ft (91 m) tall as of 2025. Estimated figures are indicated by an asterisk (*). A dash "–" indicates information about the development is unknown or is not publicly available.

Name Height

ft (m)

Floors Year Notes
Henry Ford Hospital Tower 376 (115) 21 2029 Height according to the FAA obstruction evaluation report[86]
JW Marriott Detroit 302 (92) 25 2027 [87]

Proposed

[edit]

This table lists approved and proposed buildings in Detroit that are planned to be at least 300 ft (91 m) tall as of 2025. Estimated figures are indicated by an asterisk (*). A dash "–" indicates information about the development is unknown or is not publicly available.

Name Height

ft (m)

Floors Year Status Notes
Monroe Blocks - Office Tower 536 (163)* 35* Approved Groundbreaking on Phase 1 of Monroe Blocks began on December 13, 2018. As of May 2021, the project remains largely undeveloped and alternative uses are being planned for the site.[88]
Monroe Blocks - Residential Tower 335 (102)* 20* Approved Groundbreaking on Phase 1 of Monroe Blocks began on December 13, 2018.[88]

Tallest demolished

[edit]

Detroit was home to one building that once stood taller than 300 feet (91 m) and now no longer exists.

Name Image Height

ft (m)

Floors Year

Completed

Year

Demolished

Notes
J. L. Hudson Department Store and Addition 410 (125) 29 1946 1998 Opening in 1911, the building was constructed in phases between 1911 and 1946. It was demolished in 1998, and is now the site of Hudson's Detroit.[89]

Timeline of tallest buildings

[edit]
The Penobscot Building in 2007; it is the city's third tallest building and rises above the Detroit Financial District.

This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Detroit. For most of Detroit's earlier years, the tallest buildings in the city were churches and government buildings with their steeples. The first skyscraper in the city is usually considered the Hammond Building, completed in 1889.[2] However, since the 10-story building did not surpass the steeple of the Fort Street Presbyterian Church, it never became a city record holder. The first skyscraper to have the distinction of being Detroit's tallest building was the Ford Building, completed in 1909.[90]

Name Image Street address Years as tallest Height

ft (m)

Floors Reference
First Michigan State Capitol[C] Capitol Park 1828–1866 140 (43) 2 [91]
Most Holy Trinity Church 1050 Porter Street 1866–1871 170 (52) 1 [92]
Former Detroit City Hall[D][E] Campus Martius Park 1871–1877 200 (61) 4 [93]
St. Joseph Church[E] 1828 Jay Street 1873–1877 200 (61) 1 [94]
Fort Street Presbyterian Church 631 West Fort Street 1877–1909 265 (81) 1 [95]
Ford Building 615 Griswold Street 1909–1913 275 (84) 19 [90]
Chrysler House 719 Griswold Street 1913–1924 324 (99) 23 [68]
Book Cadillac Hotel[F] 220 Michigan Avenue 1924–1925 349 (106) 29 [49]
Buhl Building 535 Griswold Street 1925–1926 366 (112) 29 [48]
Book Tower 1265 Washington Boulevard 1926–1928 475 (145) 38 [96]
Penobscot Building 633 Griswold Street 1928–1977 565 (172) 47 [17]
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center 1 Renaissance Center Drive 1977–present 727 (222) 70[A] [83]

Notes

[edit]
A. ^ a b c General Motors, the owner of the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, maintains that the building has 73 floors.[97] Hines Interests, the property management firm for the building, gives a floor count of 74,[98] while architect Skidmore, Owings and Merrill gives a floor count of 75.[99] The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Emporis, and other building database sites usually give the floor count as 70,[1][100] while other sources state 73 stories.[101] This table uses the floor count of 70, as stated officially by online building databases.
B. ^ The capitol of Michigan was relocated to Lansing in 1847, and the original capitol building was destroyed in a fire in 1893.
C. ^ This building was destroyed in 1961.
D. ^ a b St. Joseph Church, completed in 1873, tied the height of the Detroit City Hall. The city therefore had two tallest buildings for a period of 4 years, until the Fort Street Presbyterian Church was completed in 1877.
E. ^ This building was constructed as the Book-Cadillac Hotel, but is now officially known as the Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel.

References

[edit]
General
  • "Detroit". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2004. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
Specific
  1. ^ a b c "Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2007.
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Building Details

Architect
Louis Kamper
Year Built
1917
Address
1249 Washington Blvd.
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Building Type
office building
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