Palmer Building

The Washington Boulevard Historic District is significant as an intact streetscape of architecturally distinguished commercial buildings dating from 1901-1930 with a majority built in the 1920s. The buildings individually represent some of the finest early Twentieth Century architecture in Detroit and as a group illustrate the evolution of the commercial style in Detroit as it was practiced by some of Michigan's master architects. The district is also significant as a product of a planned real estate development inspired by the City Beautiful movement and carried out as the private artistic endeavor of one family and their architect, Louis Kamper.

The six-story, terra-cotta sheathed Palmer Building at 1420 Washington Boulevard was constructed in 1910 to the designs of nationally known architect Albert Kahn. This Chicago Style design derives its visual impact from the overall sheathing of glistening white, molded terra-cotta and the regular bays of large plate glass windows.