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Detroit Financial District

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87-503: Download coordinates as: The Detroit Financial District is a United States historic district in downtown Detroit , Michigan . The district was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 14, 2009, and was announced as the featured listing in the National Park Service 's weekly list of December 24, 2009. It includes 33 buildings, two sites, and one other object that are deemed to be contributing to

174-498: A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), and the historic commission or architectural review board may decide upon the changes. The COA process is carried out with all aspects of due process, with formal notification, hearings, and fair and informed decision-making. According to the National Park Service, historic districts are one of the oldest forms of protection for historic properties. The city of Charleston, South Carolina

261-444: A State Historic Preservation Office, not all states must have a "state historic district" designation. As of 2004, for example, the state of North Carolina had no such designation. Local historic districts usually enjoy the greatest level of protection legally from any threats that may compromise their historic integrity because many land-use decisions are made at the local level. There are more than 2,300 local historic districts in

348-540: A department store owned by mercantilist C. R. Mabley . Mabley had started business in this Woodward location in 1870, and by 1876 his company was one of the largest in Michigan. Mabley purchased several adjoining lots and there built a series of buildings along both sides of Woodward to house his department store. Mabley died in 1885 and the business began to languish, although Mabley stores remained in Detroit until 1929. Much of

435-506: A dramatic transformation at the beginning of the twentieth century, heralded by the arrival of Detroit's first skyscraper, the Hammond Building in 1889; Chase Tower now stands on this site. In 1905, the thirteen-story original Penobscot Building was constructed on Fort Street, followed by the nearby eighteen-story Ford Building in 1907 and the 23-story Dime Building in 1913. In the 1920s, even larger skyscrapers invaded, culminating in

522-558: A federal designation, such as granting qualifications and tax incentives. In addition, the property can become protected under specific state laws. The laws can be similar or different from the federal guidelines that govern the National Register. A state listing of a historic district on a "State Register of Historic Places", usually by the State Historic Preservation Office , can be an "honorary status", much like

609-408: A historic district are normally divided into two categories, contributing and non-contributing. Districts vary greatly in size and composition: a historic district could comprise an entire neighborhood with hundreds of buildings, or a smaller area with just one or a few resources. Historic districts can be created by federal, state, or local governments . At the federal level, they are designated by

696-591: A historic district per U.S. federal law , last revised in 2004. According to the Register definition, a historic district is: a geographically definable area, urban or rural, possessing a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united by past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development. A district may also comprise individual elements separated geographically but linked by association or history. Districts established under U.S. federal guidelines generally begin

783-572: A leading Democratic Party -aligned publication under the ownership of Wilbur F. Storey . Storey left for the Chicago Times in 1861, taking much of the staff with him. In the 1870s ownership passed to William E. Quinby , who continued its Democratic leanings and established a London , England edition. In 1940, the Knight Newspapers (later Knight Ridder ) purchased the Free Press . During

870-530: A mesh of structures, streets, open space, and landscaping to define a historic district's character. As early as 1981, the National Trust for Historic Preservation identified 882 American cities and towns that had some form of "historic district zoning " in place--local laws meant specifically to protect historic districts. Before 1966, historic preservation in the United States was in its infancy. That year

957-449: A morning news show called First Forecast Mornings . Prior to the partnership, WWJ aired absolutely no local newscast at all. In February 2014, the DMP announced its offices along with those of the Free Press and The Detroit News would occupy six floors in both the old and new sections of the former Federal Reserve building at 160 West Fort Street. The partnership expected to place signs on

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1044-514: A price per square foot basis increased in value significantly more than non-designated properties. The original concept of an American historic district was a protective area surrounding more important, individual historic sites. As the field of historic preservation progressed, those involved came to realize that the structures acting as "buffer zones" were key elements of the historical integrity of larger landmark sites. Preservationists believed that districts should be more encompassing, blending

1131-406: A rounded arch on the second floor, filled with paned windows and surrounded by terra cotta detailing with the company's logo. The finely detailed interior woodwork also includes company logos. Although the lower floors of the building were completely altered during this renovation, the upper two floors still retain the original window shapes. The building currently houses Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, and

1218-456: A separate process unrelated to zoning. Local historic districts are identified by surveying historic resources and delineating appropriate boundaries that comply with all aspects of due process . Depending on local ordinances or state law, property owners' permission may be required; however, all owners are to be notified and allowed to share their opinions. Most local historic districts are constricted by design guidelines that control changes to

1305-423: A specific definition in relation to the National Register. All but the eponymous district category are also applied to historic districts listed on the National Register. A listing on the National Register of Historic Places is a governmental acknowledgment of a historic district. However, the Register is "an honorary status with some federal financial incentives." The National Register of Historic Places defines

1392-411: A steel frame sheathed in limestone. It was constructed in 1927 designed by Luis Kamper and features work by sculptor Corrado Parducci . Standard Savings & Loan was established in 1893 with offices at the corner of Griswold and Lafayette. The bank moved to the corner of Griswold and Larned in 1913, and in 1927 purchased land at the corner of Griswold and Jefferson, the site of this building. The lot

1479-409: A wagon over rough roads to a building at Bates and Woodbridge streets in Detroit. The hand-operated press required two men and could produce 250 pages per hour. The first issues were 14 by 20 inches (360 mm × 510 mm) in size, with five columns of type. Sheldon McKnight became the first publisher, with his uncle John Pitts Sheldon as the editor. In the 1850s, the paper was developed into

1566-547: Is a 32-story, flat-roofed skyscraper with a steel frame. It was built in 1960–62, and designed by Minoru Yamasaki and Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls ; the building was apparently a model for Yamasaki's later work of the World Trade Center in New York. The building rests on a platform, approached via entrance staircases, with a reflecting pool and tall glass-enclosed lobby emphasizing the airy lightness. White concrete panels hold

1653-637: Is a five-story, three-bay building. It was originally built in 1851 and renovated in 1877 for the Detroit Tool Depot. The facade is of brick, with stone lintels. Originally the building had three bays but they were demolished in 1917 for the Vinton Building. The first floor has been renovated for a deli. 42°19′50.1″N 83°2′44.25″W  /  42.330583°N 83.0456250°W  / 42.330583; -83.0456250  ( Traub Brothers Jewelry Building ) The Traub Brothers Jewelry Building

1740-590: Is a forty-story office building, built in 1927–1929 by architect Wirt C. Rowland for the Union Trust Company. The Union Trust Company was founded in Detroit in 1890 by Senator James McMillan , and Dexter M. Ferry , along with investments from Russell A. Alger , Col. Frank J. Hecker , and Christian H. Buhl . Union Trust developed a reputation for catering to common laborers, and attracted numerous customers by offering mortgages and land contracts. By 1928, Union Trust had assets of $ 52 million, and merged with

1827-527: Is a four-story glass-and-steel bank building designed in 1971 by Ted Rogvoy Associates. The building is set back from Woodward the same distance as the Chase Tower Detroit (National Bank of Detroit Building) just to the north. Because of its age, this building is a non-contributing property. 42°19′46″N 83°2′46″W  /  42.32944°N 83.04611°W  / 42.32944; -83.04611  ( Guardian Building ) The Guardian Building

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1914-434: Is a four-story wood-frame brick building, built in 1879. Presumably the first floor was used as retail while the upper floors were used as residential space. The building was purchased by Grand Trunk Railroad early in the 20th century, and in 1911 it was renovated to serve as their ticketing office. Grand Trunk removed the second floor and installed a vaulted ceiling reminiscent of period railroad stations. The renovation added

2001-515: Is a twelve-story flat-roofed office building with steel frame clad in light gray brick with terra cotta details. The building was constructed in 1917, and designed by Albert Kahn for Robert K. Vinton of the Vinton Company, general contractors. The façades are in the Commercial Style, influenced by Arts and Crafts style. Twisted columns outline the edge of the façade' the name of the building

2088-407: Is credited with beginning the modern-day historic districts movement. In 1931, Charleston enacted an ordinance which designated an "Old and Historic District" administered by a Board of Architectural Review. Charleston's early ordinance reflected the strong protection that local historic districts often enjoy under local law. It asserted that no alteration could be made to any architectural features

2175-471: Is little more than recognition by the government that the resource is worthy of preservation. Generally, the criteria for acceptance to the National Register are applied consistently, but there are considerations for exceptions to the criteria, and historic districts influence some of those exceptions. Usually, the National Register does not list religious structures, moved structures, reconstructed structures, or properties that have achieved significance within

2262-482: Is not involved, then the listing on the National Register provides the site , property or district no protections. For example, if company A wants to tear down the hypothetical Smith House and company A is under contract with the state government of Illinois, then the federal designation would offer no protections. If, however, company A was under federal contract, the Smith House would be protected. A federal designation

2349-465: Is now financial district, and built homes there. Fort Shelby was manned by the British until 1813, when it was abandoned and taken over by American forces. However, Fort Shelby had been deteriorating, and in 1824, the federal government ceded the southern section of the grounds to the city. In 1826, troops left the fort, and the remainder of the fort and grounds were given to the city; the next year Fort Shelby

2436-697: Is operated by the Detroit Media Partnership under a joint operating agreement with The Detroit News , its historical rival. The Sunday edition is titled the Sunday Free Press . The Free Press has received ten Pulitzer Prizes and four Emmy Awards . Its motto is "On Guard for 193 Years". In 2018, the Detroit Free Press received two Salute to Excellence awards from the National Association of Black Journalists . The newspaper

2523-573: Is prominently displayed at the parapet. The Vinton Company initially used the upper floors of the building, and a bank inhabited the ground floor. In 1925 the Guaranty Trust Company bought the building. Guaranty folded in 1933. 42°19′49.9″N 83°2′44.1″W  /  42.330528°N 83.045583°W  / 42.330528; -83.045583  ( Martin Limbach Hardware Building ) The Martin Limbach Hardware Building

2610-459: Is the site of first building in Detroit, the original Ste. Anne's Catholic Church , constructed in 1701. The building constructed for Standard Savings has twelve bays on the Jefferson facade and five along Griswold. The Griswold entrance of the building is flanked by black granite columns and features an original decorative metal gate. Signage from Raymond James brokerage, a later tenant, is still on

2697-882: The Detroit People Mover and QLine light rail. Viewed from the International Riverfront , the district is bordered on the left by the 150 West Jefferson skyscraper which replaced the Detroit Stock Exchange Building and on the right by the One Woodward Avenue skyscraper. What is now the Detroit Financial District was the site of the construction of the first building in Detroit, Ste. Anne's Catholic Church , constructed in 1701 by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac . Ste. Anne's stood at

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2784-459: The Free Press actually printed two editions per day. During that period The Detroit News was sold and delivered as an afternoon newspaper. In 1989, the paper entered into a one hundred-year joint operating agreement with its rival, combining business operations while maintaining separate editorial staffs. The combined company is called the Detroit Media Partnership . The two papers also began to publish joint Saturday and Sunday editions, though

2871-482: The Free Press to the Gannett Company, which had previously owned and operated The Detroit News . Gannett, in turn, sold The News to MediaNews Group ; Gannett continues to be the managing partner in the papers' joint operating agreement. The Free Press resumed publication of its own Sunday edition, May 7, 2006, without any content from The News , other than that The News would print its editorial page in

2958-524: The National Park Service and listed on the National Register of Historic Places ; this is a largely honorary designation that does not restrict what property owners may do with a property. State -level historic districts usually do not include restrictions, though this depends on the state. Historic districts created by local municipalities, however, almost always protect historic properties by regulating alterations, demolition, or new construction within

3045-738: The Renaissance Center skyscrapers. Four of the contributing properties in this district were previously individually listed on the National Register. These include the Union Trust (or Guardian) Building , an Art Deco –style building and a U.S. National Historic Landmark , the State Savings Bank Building , the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building , and the Vinton Building . Other significant properties in

3132-560: The U.S. Conference of Mayors penned an influential report which concluded, in part, that Americans suffered from a sense of "rootlessness." They recommended historic preservation to help give Americans a sense of orientation. The creation of the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, on the heels of the report, helped instill that sense of orientation the mayors sought. The mayors also recommended that any historic preservation program not focus solely on individual properties but also on "areas and districts which contain special meaning for

3219-463: The hexagonal windows in place. The three-story glass panels were the tallest ever installed at the time. The bronze ballerina in front of the building is by Giacomo Manzù . 42°19′42.2″N 83°2′45.5″W  /  42.328389°N 83.045972°W  / 42.328389; -83.045972  ( Standard Savings & Loan Building ) The Standard Savings & Loan Building is an 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 -story, flat-roofed office building with

3306-534: The 23 banks in Detroit were located in what is now the Financial District—20 of them on Griswold alone. Commercial and banking buildings spread north and west from the Griswold area. Fort Street east of Shelby had turned commercial by the 1870s; the section of Fort Street west of Shelby remained residential until the 1890s when a new Federal Building was constructed in the area. The Financial District underwent

3393-464: The 40-story Guardian Building and 48-story Greater Penobscot Building , both built in 1927–29. When completed in 1928, the Penobscot became the world's eighth-tallest building and the tallest outside of New York and Chicago . It was the city's tallest from 1928 to 1977. The Penobscot stands at the center of the Detroit Financial District. The Great Depression halted the construction of buildings in

3480-566: The Farmer's and Mechanic's Bank (1832), National Insurance Bank (1838), Michigan State Bank (1837), the Bank of St. Clair (1842), and the Peninsular Bank (1849). Other commercial establishments, including the offices of the Detroit Free Press , occupied the area along Jefferson near Griswold and the lots immediately north thereof. By the 1850s, commercial and banking interests had pushed northward to line

3567-598: The Financial District, 33 of which are contributing properties. The buildings within the district were designed by a suite of notable architects and architectural firms, including D. H. Burnham & Company ; Donaldson and Meier ; Albert Kahn Associates ; McKim, Mead, and White ; Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls (and Wirt C. Rowland ); and Minoru Yamasaki . The Financial District is flanked by other skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit , including One Detroit Center and

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3654-557: The Financial District, and substantial new construction wasn't undertaken again until the late 1940s with the construction of the annex to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building . This was followed in 1959 by a new National Bank of Detroit Building , and in the early 1960s by the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company Building and the Detroit Bank and Trust Tower. There are 36 buildings within

3741-433: The Financial District. However, the land north of what now is Larned Street was low and marshy, and most buildings were located south of that line. In 1805, a devastating fire swept through the village of Detroit, destroying all but one structure. After the fire, Detroit was replatted, establishing the main avenues of Jefferson and Woodward. Some residents were awarded lots south of Fort Shelby and north of Jefferson in what

3828-504: The Griswold and Shelby streets area in the 1830s. Substantial office buildings, often containing banks in their street levels, began to line Griswold in the 1850s. Detroit's massive early twentieth-century auto industry-related growth and economic boom resulted in large-scale redevelopment of the area between 1900 and 1930, and another wave of development took place in the 1950s and early 1960s. The Financial District continues today to be an important financial and office district in Detroit. In

3915-470: The National Register of Historic Places. If such an objection occurred, then the nomination would become a determination of National Register eligibility only. This provision is controversial because of the presumption that owners who do not file a formal objection support the designation, placing the burden on opponents. Most U.S. state governments have a listing similar to the National Register of Historic Places. State listings can have similar benefits to

4002-639: The National Register. For example, in Nevada , listing in the State Register places no limits on property owners. In contrast, state law in Tennessee requires that property owners within historic districts follow a strict set of guidelines from the U.S. Department of Interior when altering their properties. Though, according to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, all states must have

4089-562: The Sunday Free Press . On December 16, 2008, Detroit Media Partnership (DMP) announced a plan to limit weekday home delivery for both dailies to Thursday and Friday only. On other weekdays the paper sold at newsstands would be smaller, about 32 pages, and redesigned. This arrangement went into effect March 30, 2009. The Free Press entered a news partnership with CBS owned-and-operated station WWJ-TV channel 62 in March 2009 to produce

4176-630: The US Army, and later both DTE Energy and General Electric were tenants. In 1989, the Guardian was named a National Historic Landmark , and renovations in 1988 and 2003 restored much of the original Art Deco decoration in the building. In 2007, the Wayne County government purchased the building. 42°19′49.6″N 83°2′44″W  /  42.330444°N 83.04556°W  / 42.330444; -83.04556  ( Vinton Building ) The Vinton Building

4263-424: The United States is primarily based on arguments that such laws creating such districts restrict the supply of affordable housing, and thus the result of such districts is that of enforcing caste structures and class divisions by region and segments of urban areas. Several historic districts have been proposed not for a true preservation purpose but to prevent development. The issue of local historic districts and

4350-425: The United States. Local historic districts can be administered at the county or the municipal level; both entities are involved in land use decisions. The specific legal mechanism by which historic districts are enacted and regulated varies from one state to the next. In some areas, they are a component of zoning (where they are sometimes referred to as "overlay districts." In other places, they are created under

4437-646: The Vieux Carré Commission and authorizing it to act to maintain the historic character of the city's French Quarter . Other localities picked up on the concept, with the city of Philadelphia enacting its historic preservation ordinance in 1955. The regulatory authority of local commissions and historic districts has been consistently upheld as a legitimate use of government police power, most notably in Penn Central Transportation Co. v. City of New York (1978). The Supreme Court case validated

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4524-607: The buildings at 620 Woodward, these were originally part of the Mabley & Company department store. Contemporaneous histories label the five buildings at 620 and 630 Woodward as the "clothing, hat, cap, and furnishing stores of Mabley & Company." Historic district (United States) Historic districts in the United States are designated historic districts recognizing a group of buildings, archaeological resources, or other properties as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects, and sites within

4611-503: The community." Local, state, and federal historic districts now account for thousands of historical property listings at all levels of government. Detroit Free Press The Detroit Free Press (commonly referred to as the Freep ) is a major daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan , United States. It is the largest local newspaper owned by Gannett (the publisher of USA Today ), and

4698-536: The company had assets worth over $ 400 million, representing 40% of Detroit's banking industry. However, the Great Depression hit the bank hard; the Union Trust Company reconsolidated into the Union Guardian Trust in 1930, and failed in 1933. The bank went into receivership under the name New Union Building Corporation, which retained the building. The Guardian Building was used during World War II by

4785-421: The designation process through a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register is the official recognition by the U.S. government of cultural resources worthy of preservation. While designation through the National Register does offer a district or property some protections, it is only in cases where the threatening action involves the federal government . If the federal government

4872-504: The detailing on these buildings, including roof line ornamentation, and window trim, is now missing, possibly due to major alterations in 1918. The first-floor storefronts have been renovated. 42°19′50.8″N 83°2′44.8″W  /  42.330778°N 83.045778°W  / 42.330778; -83.045778  ( Mabley and Company Building at 630 Woodward ) The Mabley and Company Building at 630 Woodward consists of three four-story wood-frame buildings, now combined into one. Like

4959-411: The district include the 1927 Greater Penobscot Building , tallest in the district at 47 stories, the 1959 International Style National Bank of Detroit Building , the 1920 First National Building , the 1925 Buhl Building , the 1909 Ford Building, the 1912 Chrysler House , and the 1925 Detroit Free Press Building . Eighteen of these buildings initially housed banks or financial institutions; many of

5046-668: The district. Much criticism has arisen of historic districts and the effect protective zoning and historic designation status laws have on the housing supply. When an area of a city is designated as part of a 'historic district', new housing development is artificially restricted and the supply of new housing permanently capped in area so designated as 'historic'. Critics of historic districts argue that while these districts may offer an aesthetic or visually pleasing benefit, they increase inequality by restricting access to new and affordable housing for lower and middle class tenants and potential home owners. Housing advocates have argued that

5133-471: The editorial content of each remained separate. At the time, the Detroit Free Press was the tenth-highest circulation paper in the United States, and the combined Detroit News and Free Press was the country's fourth-largest Sunday paper. On July 13, 1995, Newspaper Guild -represented employees of the Free Press and News and the pressmen, printers and Teamsters working for the "Detroit Newspapers" distribution arm went on strike . By October, about 40% of

5220-593: The editorial staffers had crossed the picket line, and many trickled back over the next months while others stayed out for the two and a half years of the strike. The strike was resolved in court three years later, and the unions remain active at the paper, representing a majority of the employees under their jurisdiction. In 1998, the Free Press vacated its former headquarters in downtown Detroit and moved to offices into The Detroit News ' building and began to operate from its new offices in that building on June 26 of that year. On August 3, 2005, Knight Ridder sold

5307-479: The exterior similar to those on the former offices. The move took place beginning in October 2014. In June 2015, Gannett split itself into two companies. The company's television broadcasters and digital publishers became part of a new company known as Tegna Inc. while its traditional print publishers became part of a new Gannett. In November 2019, the newspaper announced it would cut four staff positions ahead of

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5394-483: The first few blocks of Griswold. In 1858, a Federal Building was constructed on the corner of Griswold and Larned, spurring the construction of substantial office buildings in the surrounding area along Griswold. Many of the office buildings constructed near the 1858 Federal Building housed at least one bank on the first floor, and by 1884, historian Silas Farmer called Griswold "the Wall Street of Detroit". In 1899, 22 of

5481-416: The first floor has recently been restored. 42°19′50.2″N 83°2′44.3″W  /  42.330611°N 83.045639°W  / 42.330611; -83.045639  ( 616 Woodward Avenue ) The building at 616 Woodward Avenue is a three-story wood-framed pitched-roof brick building, originally built by the W. G. Vinton Company in 1880. The first-floor storefront has been substantially renovated, but

5568-593: The historic character of the district, and also three non-contributing buildings. The American Institute of Architects describes Detroit's Financial District as "one of the city's highest concentrations of quality commercial architecture". According to the National Park Service: From the 1850s to the 1970s the Financial District in downtown Detroit was the financial and office heart of the city, and it stills retains an important banking and office presence today. Banks began to locate along Jefferson Avenue in

5655-522: The historic designation process has in many places been hijacked by NIMBY homeowners to block housing. The first U.S. historic district was established in Charleston, South Carolina in 1931, predating the U.S. federal government designation by more than three decades. Charleston city government designated an "Old and Historic District" by local ordinance and created a board of architectural review to oversee it. New Orleans followed in 1937, establishing

5742-627: The impact on property values concerns many homeowners. The effects have been extensively studied using multiple methodologies, including before-and-after analysis and evaluating comparable neighborhoods with and without local designation status. Independent researchers have conducted factual analysis in several states, including New Jersey, Texas, Indiana, Georgia, Colorado, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and elsewhere. As stated by economist Donovan Rypkema, "the results of these studies are remarkably consistent: property values in local historic districts appreciate significantly faster than

5829-406: The last 50 years. However, if a property falls into one of those categories and are " integral parts of districts that do meet the criteria", then an exception allowing their listing will be made. Historic district listings, like all National Register nominations, can be rejected based on owner disapproval. In the case of historic districts, a majority of owners must object to nullify a nomination to

5916-472: The lobby contains stained glass windows, and the vault is covered with brightly colored Rookwood tile, coordinated by Mary Chase Perry Stratton ; the structure is modelled after Beauvais Cathedral . A mural map of Michigan dominates one end of the lobby. As the building was under construction, Union Group continued to acquire other financial holdings, and by the time the Guardian Building opened in 1929,

6003-538: The market as a whole in the vast majority of cases and appreciate at rates equivalent to the market in the worst case. Simply put – historic districts enhance property values." In a 2011 study Connecticut Local Historic Districts and Property Values , it was found that "property values in every local historic district saw average increases in value ranging from 4% to over 19% per year." Similarly, in New York City between 1980 and 2000, local historic district properties on

6090-516: The new millennium, the 47-story Penobscot Building stands at the center of the district as a state of the art class-A office tower and serves as a hub for the city's wireless Internet zone and fiber-optic communication network. Other major class-A office renovations include the Chrysler House and the Guardian Building , a National Historic Landmark . The Financial District is served by

6177-590: The next 20 years, the Free Press competed in the southeastern Michigan market with The Detroit News and the Detroit Times , until the Times was purchased and closed by the Detroit News on November 7, 1960. The Free Press was delivered and sold as a night paper, with home deliveries made after 7:00   pm until around 1966. A morning "Blue Streak Edition" was available at news stands beginning around 1965, meaning

6264-462: The properties included in the district. Many local commissions adopt specific guidelines for each neighborhood's " tout ensemble " although some smaller commissions rely on the Secretary of Interior Standards. For most minor changes, homeowners can consult with local preservation staff at the municipal office and receive guidance and permission. Significant changes, however, require homeowners to apply for

6351-435: The property owner's consent or compensation for the historic overlay. Historic districts are generally two types of properties, contributing and non-contributing. Broadly defined, a contributing property is any property, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make a historic district, listed locally or federally, significant. Different entities, usually governmental, at both

6438-516: The protection of historic resources as "an entirely permissible governmental goal." In 1966, the federal government created the National Register of Historic Places, soon after a report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors had stated Americans suffered from "rootlessness." By the 1980s, there were thousands of federally designated historic districts. Some states, such as Arizona, have passed referendums defending property rights that have stopped private property from being designated as historic without

6525-702: The public could view from the street. Local historic districts, as in New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia , predate the Register by ten years or more as well. Local historic districts are most likely to generate resistance because of the restrictions they tend to place on property owners. Local laws can cause residents "to comply with (local historic district) ordinances." For example, homeowners may be prevented from upgrading poorly insulated windows unless they spend tens of thousands of dollars on identical styles. Criticism of historic districts in Chicago and elsewhere in

6612-453: The remainder were used for office space. The buildings below are listed in rough geographic order beginning from the southeast corner of the district (the intersection of Woodward and Jefferson) and proceeding northwest. 42°19′44″N 83°2′44″W  /  42.32889°N 83.04556°W  / 42.32889; -83.04556  ( One Woodward Avenue ) The One Woodward Avenue Building (Michigan Consolidated Gas Company Building)

6699-550: The roof. Standard Savings & Loan survived through the Great Depression and into the postwar years. In the 1950s it applied for a federal charter, and in 1985 changed from a savings and loan to banking operations, becoming Standard Federal Bank . The company was eventually acquired by ABN AMRO . 42°19′47″N 83°2′45″W  /  42.32972°N 83.04583°W  / 42.32972; -83.04583  ( Detroit Federal Savings and Loan Association Building ) The Detroit Federal Savings and Loan Association Building

6786-498: The similarly sized National Bank of Commerce, with the new company called the Guardian Detroit Union Group. The new company was larger than the facilities of either bank, so a new building was called for. The bank hired the architectural firm of Smith Hinchman and Grylls and their young architect Wirt C. Rowland . Rowland designed an exotic building blending Art Deco , Mayan, and Native American elements. The base of

6873-466: The southern edge of the district, just west of the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Griswold Streets, where the Standard Savings & Loan Building is today. A stockade, later known as Fort Detroit , was constructed around the church and southward. Portions of the fort, as well as the church and other buildings, were destroyed and rebuilt multiple times during the next few decades. By the time the fort

6960-525: The state and national level in the United States, have differing definitions of contributing property, but they all retain the same basic characteristics. In general, contributing properties are integral parts of a historic district's historical context and character. In addition to the two types of classification within historic districts, properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places are classified into five broad categories. They are: building, structure, site, district, and object; each one has

7047-410: The steel-framed building is sheathed in red granite, and second and third stories are covered with yellow stone. The remainder of the building is sheathed with a custom-made dark orange brick. Terra cotta and Pewabic tile provide accents to the exterior brick. The entrance is sheltered under an arch covered with Pewabic tile; two figures by sculptor Corrado Parducci flank the door. On the interior,

7134-479: The streets in the area were slowly opened and graded. The first bank located along west Jefferson was the Bank of Michigan, which built its headquarters on the south side of Jefferson near Woodward in 1831, and five years later built another structure at Jefferson and Griswold (just south of the area that is now the Financial District). The 1830s and 40s brought more banks along Jefferson near Griswold, including

7221-434: The upper stories still have original stone lintels and sills. 42°19′50.5″N 83°2′44.4″W  /  42.330694°N 83.045667°W  / 42.330694; -83.045667  ( Mabley and Company Building at 620 Woodward ) The Mabley and Company Building at 620 Woodward consists of two four-story wood-frame buildings, now combined into one. The buildings were constructed in 1876-80 for Mabley & Company,

7308-478: Was demolished and streets platted in the pattern that remains today. In addition, the marshy section north of Larned was drained by rerouting and deepening the River Savoyard. Beginning in the 1830s, the financial institutions of Detroit began to locate along West Jefferson, on the southern edge of what is now the Financial District, while the remainder of the district developed into a primarily residential area as

7395-483: Was launched by John R. Williams and his uncle, Joseph Campau , and was first published as the Democratic Free Press and Michigan Intelligencer on May 5, 1831. It was renamed to Detroit Daily Free Press in 1835, becoming the region's first daily newspaper. Williams printed the first issues on a Washington press he purchased from the discontinued Oakland Chronicle of Pontiac . It was hauled from Pontiac in

7482-489: Was surrendered to British forces in 1760, it encompassed an area stretching from the present Griswold Street to west of Shelby Street, and from south or Larned Street to a block south of Jefferson Avenue. In the 1770s the fort was again extended, encompassing the entire area from the Detroit River to Larned Street, and from Griswold Street west to Cass Avenue. In 1778, the British military commander decided that Fort Detroit

7569-425: Was too difficult to defend, and construction on a second fort to the north began. This fort, known as Fort Lernoult (later Fort Shelby ), was centered in the northern section of what is now the Detroit Financial District, covering the area between Fort Street and Lafayette Street, and from Griswold street west to Washington Avenue. The southern stockade was extended from the river to the new fort, enclosing nearly all

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