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Historic Photo from NRHP Filing
Pasadena Apartments East Jefferson Ave. Residential Buildings Thematic Group Detroit, Wayne Co., MI Resource Analysts, Inc., Dec. 1983 Neg.: Michigan History Division 208 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing View from northwest Photo 5 of 23
The Pasadena Apartment Building is significant as a design of Mortimer L. Smith, as an early example of upper-class, multi-unit housing, and as an early structure among those with reinforced concrete as structural material. Architect Mortimer L. Smith, in addition to being among Detroit's most important turn-of-the-century architects, was a painter of some accomplishment. His career began in the office of his father, Sheldon Smith, in 1861. Together they designed the Detroit Opera House, a lavish Second Empire-style structure completed in 1869. Like other leading architects of his generation, Mortimer Smith was adept in the numerous historical architectural styles which prevailed during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Pasadena Apartment Building, though stripped of some of its former splendor, remains an imposing example, notable in scale, design and for innovative use of materials (namely, reinforced concrete) in residential architecture.
The Pasadena Apartment Building is an eleven-story, Renaissance-style structure with yellow brick facades which faces northwest toward Jefferson Avenue. The lowest two stories of the Jefferson Avenue facade are limestone-faced and house a central, classical entrance. Three-sided window bays rise from the basement level to the tenth story. A restaurant was formerly located on the eleventh story. The removal of some classical ornamentation from the facades of the upper stories--cornices and false balconies especially--has detracted somewhat from the structure's appearance.
Mortimer L. Smith & Sons, Architects
NRHP Ref# 85002944 • Data from National Park Service • Content available under CC BY-SA 4.0
Pasadena Apartments East Jefferson Ave. Residential Buildings Thematic Group Detroit, Wayne Co., MI Resource Analysts, Inc., Dec. 1983 Neg.: Michigan History Division 208 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing View from northwest Photo 5 of 23
Public Domain (Michigan Filing)
The Pasadena Apartments is an apartment building located at 2170 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.Pasadena Apartments, c. 1905The Pasadena Apartment Building is an eleven-story building constructed of yellow brick with limestone facing on the two lower floors. A column of bay windows rises from the basement to the tenth floor; a classic style entrance is in the center of the front façade. The building originally had classical details on the upper floors, including a cornice and false balconies, that have been removed.The Pasadena Apartments was constructed in 1902 from a design by Mortimer L. Smith. The building is an early example of upper-class, multi-unit housing, and is one of the earliest of these structures to be built with reinforced concrete. The building was constructed at a time when newly wealthy families associated with Detroit's industrial boom were appearing, yet financing requirements for private homes were substantial.The building is still used as apartment space, and is operated by MFG Detroit.Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pasadena Apartments (Detroit).Low rise under 10 stories selectedParks and gardens • Belle Isle• Cranbrook• Campus Martius• Grand Circus• Metroparks• Matthaei Botanical Gardens• Riverfront parks• Detroit ZooMuseums and libraries • Cranbrook Educational Community• Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History• Detroit Historical Museum• Detroit Institute of Arts• Detroit Public Library• Detroit Science Center• Edsel and Eleanor Ford House• Fair Lane• Ford Piquette Avenue Plant• The Henry Ford• Meadowbrook Hall• Pewabic Pottery• Southfield Public Library• University of Michigan Museum of ArtReligious landmarks • Religious landmarksPerformance centers • Theatres and performing arts venuesNeighborhood Historic DistrictsSee also: List of tallest buildings in Detroit
Content available under CC BY-SA 4.0