Farwell Building

The Farwell Building is an important example of early twentieth century architecture in Detroit, reflecting the late-nineteenth century Chicago School of Architecture. The building also represents the growth of the Capitol Park area as a business and financial district during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Financing for the construction of the building came from the estate of Mrs. Emma J.

Farwell, wife of Jesse H. Farwell, the originator of the idea to build office-commercial buildings on Rowland Street (now Griswold since 1907) near Grand River. Jesse H. Farwell was a renowned contractor, vessel owner, manufacturer, and realtor.

The building was designed by Harrie W. Bonnah, a Detroit architect for thirty years and one of the first to register in Michigan. He was head of the firm Bonnah and Chaffee and also drew the plans for the Barlum Hotel, Barlum Tower, the Lawyer's Building, Indian Village Manor, as well as several Detroit school buildings. The distinguished architectural iron work was handled by the Russel Wheel and Foundry Company of Detroit.

The Russel Company, located at the foot of Walker Street, established the ironworks in 1876. The original design drawings for all the metalwork are on file in the Manuscript and Document Division of the Burton Historical Collection. The plans include the decorative bronze and brasswork for both the facade of the building and the interior, including the brass elevator cars, as well as extensive ironwork used for structural purposes. The Capitol Park area, the immediate vicinity of the Farwell Building, has long been a commercial and financial center in the city.

The 1920-1921 R. L. Polk Detroit City Directory predicted that the financial district of Detroit would continue to move northward on Griswold Street until 'within a few years the entire street, including Capitol Square Park, will be exclusively occupied by financial interests'. That same directory listed three investment firms and fire insurance and real estate companies among the Farwell Building tenants, suggesting that even some of the building's earliest occupants foresaw that trend.

The first four stories of the building were for primarily commercial-retail use. Small retail establishments filled the eight shops on the street level as well as the fifteen shops on each of the next three floors. The upper four floors were used for offices by attorneys, accountants, and dentists, while some office space was also leased to general contractors and builder's suppliers. The composition of the early tenants strongly supports the notion that the Farwell Building was not only a catalyst to further economic activity in the Capitol Square area, but also an indication that there were already strong financial and business interests in the area needing additional office and commercial sales space.

The predominantly brick eight story Farwell Building, completed in 1915, is an example of early twentieth century commercial architecture. Built for shops and offices, the building is distinguished on the exterior by large windows, horizontal in proportion, set deep in a structural frame. Above the first floor stores is a panelled belt course interrupted by a classic Ionic order that prevails on the first two stories of the building. Two engaged stone pilasters enclose the main entrance, while identical pilasters are found at the front corners of the building.

In the frieze of the cornice above the second story, a system of lighting domes was incorporated between the triglyphs and metopes. The domes are not operating at this time. The triple-pane windows above the first two stories are separated by brick piers which ascend through five stories. The space between the windows at the floor levels is separated by panels.

A decorative belt course is found both between the seventh and eighth stories and above the eighth story. The cornice of the building was terra cotta, relieved with Pewabic tile. The Pewabic Pottery began in Detroit in the early twentieth century as a ceramic studio and developed into a pottery of certain national renown. This ornamentation was removed in 1956.

Decorative cast bronze carries the words 'Farwell Building' over the arched center entrance, continued as the metal work of the corridor, elevators and stairway. When the building was new there were two standards on each side of the entry made of bronze with three globe lights at the top. The main vestibule has a Tiffany mosaic ceiling and walls are of Skyros marble. Both entry and vestibule were designed and executed by the Tiffany Studios of New York.

One of three Tiffany chandeliers remains. The offices are splendidly lighted by natural light, a characteristic of this type of architecture. There is a central lightwell from the second floor to the roof and the daylight is augmented by a stately bronze chandelier hanging six stories down. A portion of offices then surrounds the lightwell.

The upper story halls are finished in marble and mahogany; the offices are finished in black walnut. In the basement of the building, the First Colonnade Lunch Company restaurant opened in 1925. The parent company, the Colonnade Company of Cleveland, operated twelve primarily luncheon restaurants in larger downtown office buildings in six major American cities, including two in Detroit. In 1950 significant alterations were made to the basement; in 1963 the Colonnade moved to the First Federal Building.

Higgins Management Company purchased the Farwell Building in 1975 from the Detroit Historical Society. The company's intentions are to restore the exterior and interior as much as possible to its original condition. Its use will be similar to the original conception with small specialty shops on the first four floors, and upper floors generally for offices.