Cadillac Tower
Encyclopedia
Cadillac Tower is a Beaux Arts skyscraper
designed by the architectural firm
of Bonnah & Chaffee located at 65 Cadillac Square in downtown Detroit
, Michigan
, not far from the Renaissance Center
. The building's materials include terra cotta
and brick
. It was built in 1927 as the Barlum Tower and has 40 floors, including two below ground. At the top of the tower is a tall guyed mast
for local radio station WJLB
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2005.
Cadillac Tower was the first building outside New York City and Chicago to have 40 floors. The building also houses the city of Detroit's Planning and Development Department, and its Recreation Department. Cadillac Tower's decorative cornices and parapets are of varying heights. The corner spires rise to a height of 427 feet (130 m), and the spires at the middle facade rise to the same height of the mechanical penthouse at a height of 437 feet (133 m).
From 1994 to 2000, one side of the building featured a 14-story mural of Detroit Lions
star player Barry Sanders
. The mural was retired after a six-year deal with Nike
expired. That mural was then replaced with one of Detroit Red Wings
star Steve Yzerman
. Currently the building features an ad for the Fidelity investments. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2005.
In January 2008, the City of Detroit and Cadillac Tower's owner Northern Group, Inc., announced plans for Cadillac Centre
, a $150-million mixed-use residential entertainment-retail complex attached to the skyscraper. Designed by architect Anthony Caradonna, the contemporary steel and glass 24-story center will fill in the currently vacant Monroe Block adjacent to Campus Martius
. Construction has not begun and the project is on hold. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20081006/FREE/810060277/
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
designed by the architectural firm
Architectural firm
An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...
of Bonnah & Chaffee located at 65 Cadillac Square in downtown Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, not far from the Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
. The building's materials include terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
and brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
. It was built in 1927 as the Barlum Tower and has 40 floors, including two below ground. At the top of the tower is a tall guyed mast
Guyed mast
A guyed mast is a tall thin vertical structure that receives support from guy lines.Guyed masts are frequently used for radio masts. The mast can either support aerials mounted at its top, or the entire structure itself can function as an antenna ; this is called a mast radiator...
for local radio station WJLB
WJLB
WJLB, is a Clear Channel-owned Urban Contemporary radio station in Detroit that broadcasts on 97.9 megahertz frequency. The station is known on-air as FM98 WJLB. This is the station that began the career of Urban radio legend and video jock, Donnie Simpson...
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2005.
History
From 1994 to 2000, one side of the building featured a 14-story mural of Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
star player Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
. The mural was retired after a six-year deal with Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
expired. That mural was then replaced with one of Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
star Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
. Currently the building features an ad for the Fidelity investments. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2005.
In January 2008, the City of Detroit and Cadillac Tower's owner Northern Group, Inc., announced plans for Cadillac Centre
Cadillac Centre
Cadillac Centre is a proposed contemporary complex to be constructed in downtown Detroit, Michigan on the Monroe block of Campus Martius. In January 2008, the city announced that the complex was approved for construction with groundbreaking planned for September 2009, but the project was placed on...
, a $150-million mixed-use residential entertainment-retail complex attached to the skyscraper. Designed by architect Anthony Caradonna, the contemporary steel and glass 24-story center will fill in the currently vacant Monroe Block adjacent to Campus Martius
Campus Martius Park
Campus Martius Park is a re-established park in downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the fire of 1805, Campus Martius was the focal point of judge Augustus Woodward's plans to rebuild the city. It is where the "point of origin" of Detroit's coordinate system is located...
. Construction has not begun and the project is on hold. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20081006/FREE/810060277/