Penobscot Building (1905)

The Penobscot Building is the original 13-story building of the Penobscot Block complex in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is the first Penobscot Building, and one of three buildings of the same name in the later-constructed complex. It is located at 131 West Fort Street, within the Detroit Financial District.

This article is about the original building. For other buildings also part of the Penobscot Block, see Penobscot Building Annex and Penobscot Building.

Penobscot Building
Location131 West Fort Street
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates42°19′48.5″N 83°2′53.2″W
Built1905
ArchitectDonaldson and Meier
Architectural styleBeaux-Arts
Part ofDetroit Financial District (ID09001067)
Designated CPDecember 14, 2009

History

The Penobscot Building was designed by Donaldson and Meier in the Beaux-Arts style, and incorporates brick and stone into its materials. Construction began in 1904 and was completed in 1905.[1] Its building was financed by prominent Detroit businessmen, including lumberman Simon J. Murphy, Sr.

Architecture

The lower three stories of the building are faced in limestone, the middle seven in brick, and the upper three in terra cotta. The façade is divided into five bays, each with a pair of double-hung windows. Corinthian column piers front the eleventh and twelfth stories, and the original building cornice has been removed.

Present day

The present day use of the office building is primarily for retail shops and services. It is a contributing property in the Detroit Financial Historic District, and on the National Register of Historic Places.

See also

References
  1. Hill, Eric J. and John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3. P. 92.
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