Ford Building
Encyclopedia
The Ford Building is a high-rise office building at 615 Griswold Street
, in downtown Detroit
, Michigan
. It is located at the northwest corner of Congress and Griswold Streets in the heart of Detroit's Financial District. The Penobscot Building
abuts the building to the north, and the Guardian Building
is southeast across Griswold Street.
Designed by Daniel Burnham
, construction began in 1907 and completed in 1909. The building celebrated its 100th year in 2009, and was one of the first to use a steel structural support system. It stands at 23 stories in total height, with two basement floors, 19 above-ground floors, and two penthouses. It held the title as tallest building in Detroit from 1909 until 1913. The Ford Building's primary uses are for offices and retail
. Burnham styled it with Neo-Classical and Neo-Renaissance
elements. It is constructed with a steel skeleton faced with Terra cotta
tile and accented with white Italian marble. Burham's other remaining skyscraper designs in Detroit include the David Whitney Building
(1915) and the Dime Building
(1912).
Griswold Street
Griswold Street is a major north-south street in downtown Detroit, which passes through the city's Financial District lined with many of its most familiar and recognizable structures, such as the Guardian Building and One Woodward Avenue...
, in downtown Detroit
Downtown Detroit
Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a residential area of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Downtown is bordered by the Lodge Freeway to the west, the Fisher Freeway to the north, Interstate 375 to the east, and the Detroit River to the south.Downtown contains much historic...
, 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"....
. It is located at the northwest corner of Congress and Griswold Streets in the heart of Detroit's Financial District. The Penobscot Building
Penobscot Building
The Greater Penobscot Building, commonly known as the Penobscot Building, is a skyscraper and class-A office building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Rising 566 feet , the 47-story Penobscot was the tallest building in Michigan from its completion in 1928 until the construction of the Renaissance...
abuts the building to the north, and the Guardian Building
Guardian Building
The Guardian Building is a skyscraper at 500 Griswold Street in the downtown of the city of Detroit, in the state of Michigan, in the United States of America. The Guardian is a class-A office building owned by Wayne County, Michigan and serves as its headquarters...
is southeast across Griswold Street.
Designed by Daniel Burnham
Daniel Burnham
Daniel Hudson Burnham, FAIA was an American architect and urban planner. He was the Director of Works for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He took a leading role in the creation of master plans for the development of a number of cities, including Chicago and downtown Washington DC...
, construction began in 1907 and completed in 1909. The building celebrated its 100th year in 2009, and was one of the first to use a steel structural support system. It stands at 23 stories in total height, with two basement floors, 19 above-ground floors, and two penthouses. It held the title as tallest building in Detroit from 1909 until 1913. The Ford Building's primary uses are for offices and retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
. Burnham styled it with Neo-Classical and Neo-Renaissance
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
elements. It is constructed with a steel skeleton faced with 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...
tile and accented with white Italian marble. Burham's other remaining skyscraper designs in Detroit include the David Whitney Building
David Whitney Building
The David Whitney Building is a historic class-A skyscraper on the northern edge of downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located at 1553 Woodward Avenue, adjacent to Grand Circus Park. The building stands on a wedge-shaped site at the junction of Park Avenue, Woodward Avenue, and Washington Boulevard....
(1915) and the Dime Building
Dime Building
The Dime Building is a skyscraper class-A office building located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is adjacent to the Penobscot Building in the heart of the Detroit Financial District. The building stands 23 stories tall, with eight elevators, and was constructed between 1910 and 1912. It is used...
(1912).