Denby, Edwin, High School

Edwin Denby High School is an example of the large high schools built by the Detroit Board of Education to accommodate the explosive growth in high school enrollments in Detroit in the late 1920s and 1930s. When completed in December 1939, Denby High School was a modern high school with an auditorium, swimming pool, gymnasium, and other amenities typical of large urban high schools of that era. Edwin Denby High School is also an intact example of Art Deco design principles applied to a high school. The notable Detroit architectural firm of Smith, Hinchman & Grylls designed Denby High School. The decorative details adorning the building are the work of Corrado Parducci, a prolific Detroit architectural sculptor whose work began in the 1920s and extended into the 1960s.

Edwin Denby High School is a three-story structure. The original rectangular building faces Kelly Road and dates to the late 1920s. Detroit's self-image as a modern industrial metropolis is reflected in the application of Art Deco stylistic elements to the facades of this large civic building dedicated to education. This is reflected most notably in the frequent use of panels of terra cotta ship and lamp reliefs that were completed by Corrado Parducci, a Detroit-based sculptor, as well as in the stylized engravings of ships above the front entrances. The powerhouse and the three-story addition to the rear of the structure built in 1939 are compatible with the original construction. The most significant external alteration occurred several years ago with the installation of steel-framed windows throughout the building. Edwin Denby High School is situated on a rectangular parcel of 6.88 acres, with principal frontage facing west toward Kelly Road. The building facing Kelly Road is 391 feet long and 117 feet wide. It has a symmetrical appearance. Each half features an entrance and a projecting wing. Much of the facade is covered in multi-colored (reddish and brownish) brick arranged in a bonding pattern of one row of headers for every three rows of stretchers. The middle section of the facade is sheathed in concrete, the light tone of which contrasts with the darker-colored surrounding brick. Concrete also is used over the two entrances. The addition to the rear (east of) the main building is 232 feet long and 196 feet wide.