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Grand Boulevard (Detroit)
Encyclopedia
Grand Boulevard is a thoroughfare in Detroit, Michigan, running east to west in some places and north to south in other places. It once constituted the city limits of Detroit. Grand Boulevard is named the "Berry Gordy, Jr. Boulevard" in the area where the Motown Historical Museum
is located and the "General Motors Boulevard" in the area of Detroit's "New Center
" where the Fisher Building
and Cadillac Place
(formerly the General Motors Building) are located. Grand Boulevard is commonly referred to by residents of the city simply as "the Boulevard".
into a beautiful city by designing parks, broad streets, and grand boulevards. These citizens proposed adopting Haussmann's concepts by surrounding Detroit with its own "Grand Boulevard." When Belle Isle
was transferred from the state to the city of Detroit, Michigan legislator James Randall included a rider calling for the construction of this Grand Boulevard. However, the city government refused to begin work on the road right away, although a few people built homes along the Boulevard's proposed route.
Finally, in 1891, Detroit mayor Hazen Pingree
supported the idea and broke ground on the construction of Grand Boulevard, a ring road that wrapped around the city of Detroit. The Boulevard ran for 12 miles (19.3 km), curving from the Detroit River on the west to the very same river on the east and crossing Woodward Avenue at a point approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the downtown area. The Boulevard was originally thought to represent the absolute limit of the city's expansion, although tremendous growth at the beginning of the 20th century quickly pushed the city limits far beyond Grand Boulevard to its north, its east, and its west.
By 1913, Grand Boulevard was completed, encircling the city. It was generally recognized as a major attraction of the city; the entire length was decorated with trees, shrubbery, and flowerbeds.
Many years ago, the streetcar route which traveled upon it was formally called the Grand Belt line because of Grand Boulevard's belt-like configuration around the most central part of Detroit. The present-day bus route which traveled on some, but not all, of Grand Boulevard retained the "Grand Belt" name until a service cut in 2009.
Hitsville U.S.A.
"Hitsville U.S.A." is the nickname given to Motown's first headquarters. A former photographers' studio located at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, it was purchased by Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1959 and converted into both the record label's administrative building and recording...
is located and the "General Motors Boulevard" in the area of Detroit's "New Center
New Center, Detroit
The New Center is a significant commercial and residential historic district located in Detroit, Michigan, adjacent to Midtown, one mile north of the Cultural Center, and approximately three miles north of Downtown...
" where the Fisher Building
Fisher Building
The Fisher Building is an ornate Art Deco skyscraper located on the corner of West Grand Boulevard and Second Avenue in the heart of the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan. It is constructed of limestone, granite, and several types of marble, and was financed by the Fisher family with proceeds...
and Cadillac Place
Cadillac Place
Cadillac Place is an ornate high-rise class-A office complex in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan constructed of steel, limestone, granite, and marble between 1919 and 1923 and was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1985. The building houses several agencies of the State of Michigan...
(formerly the General Motors Building) are located. Grand Boulevard is commonly referred to by residents of the city simply as "the Boulevard".
History
As early as 1876, some Detroiters were cognizant of the efforts of Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann to make ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
into a beautiful city by designing parks, broad streets, and grand boulevards. These citizens proposed adopting Haussmann's concepts by surrounding Detroit with its own "Grand Boulevard." When Belle Isle
Belle Isle Park
Belle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
was transferred from the state to the city of Detroit, Michigan legislator James Randall included a rider calling for the construction of this Grand Boulevard. However, the city government refused to begin work on the road right away, although a few people built homes along the Boulevard's proposed route.
Finally, in 1891, Detroit mayor Hazen Pingree
Hazen S. Pingree
Hazen Stuart Pingree was a four-term Republican mayor of Detroit and the 24th Governor of the US state of Michigan .-Early life in Maine and Massachusetts:...
supported the idea and broke ground on the construction of Grand Boulevard, a ring road that wrapped around the city of Detroit. The Boulevard ran for 12 miles (19.3 km), curving from the Detroit River on the west to the very same river on the east and crossing Woodward Avenue at a point approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the downtown area. The Boulevard was originally thought to represent the absolute limit of the city's expansion, although tremendous growth at the beginning of the 20th century quickly pushed the city limits far beyond Grand Boulevard to its north, its east, and its west.
By 1913, Grand Boulevard was completed, encircling the city. It was generally recognized as a major attraction of the city; the entire length was decorated with trees, shrubbery, and flowerbeds.
Many years ago, the streetcar route which traveled upon it was formally called the Grand Belt line because of Grand Boulevard's belt-like configuration around the most central part of Detroit. The present-day bus route which traveled on some, but not all, of Grand Boulevard retained the "Grand Belt" name until a service cut in 2009.
Landmarks
| Name | Image | Location | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee Plaza Lee Plaza (Detroit) Lee Plaza is a vacant high-rise apartment building in Detroit, Michigan, located at 2240 West Grand Boulevard. It is a registered historic site by the state of Michigan and was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places on November 5, 1981... |
 |
2240 W. Grand Blvd. 42°21′34"N 83°5′19"W |
|
| 2 | Motown Record Corporation |  |
2648 W. Grand Blvd. 42°21′52"N 83°5′2"W |
|
| 3 | Henry Ford Hospital Henry Ford Hospital Henry Ford Hospital, the flagship facility for , is an 805-bed tertiary care hospital, education and research complex located in Detroit .... |
 |
2799 W. Grand Blvd. 42°22′0"N 83°5′2"W |
|
| 4 | Fisher Building Fisher Building The Fisher Building is an ornate Art Deco skyscraper located on the corner of West Grand Boulevard and Second Avenue in the heart of the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan. It is constructed of limestone, granite, and several types of marble, and was financed by the Fisher family with proceeds... |
 |
3011 West Grand Boulevard 42°22′8.5"N 83°4′36.92"W |
Built in 1927 by the Fisher brothers who owned Fisher Body Fisher Body Fisher Body is an automobile coachbuilder founded by the Fisher brothers in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan; it is now an operating division of General Motors Company... of General Motors, this skyscraper is one of the greatest works by architect Albert Kahn. The Fishers spent lavishly to make this Art Deco Art Deco Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and... masterpiece a monumental gift to Detroit and one of the most finely detailed major commercial buildings in the United States. |
| 5 | Cadillac Place Cadillac Place Cadillac Place is an ornate high-rise class-A office complex in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan constructed of steel, limestone, granite, and marble between 1919 and 1923 and was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1985. The building houses several agencies of the State of Michigan... |
 |
3044 W. Grand Blvd. 42°22′7"N 83°4′32"W |
Known today as "Cadillac Place" and housing offices of Michigan state government, it was originally constructed as the General Motors Building. |
| 6 | East Grand Boulevard Historic District East Grand Boulevard Historic District The East Grand Boulevard Historic District is a historic district located along East Grand Boulevard between East Jefferson Avenue and Mack Aveue in Detroit, Michigan. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.... |
 |
E. Grand Blvd., bet. E. Jefferson Ave. and Mack Ave. 42°21′12"N 83°0′22"W |
|
| 7 | Saint Paul Manor Apartments Saint Paul Manor Apartments The Saint Paul Manor Apartments is an apartment building located at 356 East Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, in the East Grand Boulevard Historic District. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.- History :... |
 |
356 E. Grand Blvd. 42°21′13"N 83°0′21"W |
|
| 9 | El Tovar Apartments El Tovar Apartments The El Tovar Apartments is an apartment building located at 320 East Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, in the East Grand Boulevard Historic District. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.- Architecture :... |
 |
320 E. Grand Blvd. 42°21′12"N 83°0′20"W |
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| 8 | Kingston Arms Apartments Kingston Arms Apartments The Kingston Arms Apartments is an apartment building located at 296 East Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, in the East Grand Boulevard Historic District. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.- Description :... |
 |
296 E. Grand Blvd. 42°21′16"N 83°0′28"W |
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| 10 | Belle Isle Belle Isle Park Belle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge... |
 |
Detroit River, at the base of Grand Blvd. 42°20′32"N 82°58′46"W |
Belle Isle is a 982 acres (4 km²) island park in the Detroit River, home to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the Detroit Yacht Club Detroit Yacht Club The Detroit Yacht Club is a private marina and sailing club in Detroit, Michigan, located on its own island off of Belle Isle in the Detroit River between the MacArthur Bridge and the DTE generating plant... , the Detroit Boat Club Detroit Boat Club The Detroit Boat Club, established in 1839, is the oldest sport rowing club in the United States. It is also the second oldest continuous rowing club in the world. It was first created on the Detroit River during a time in which Detroit, Michigan was just starting to grow.E. A. Brush, Alpheus S.... , the Dossin Great Lakes Museum Dossin Great Lakes Museum The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is an historical maritime museum in Detroit, Michigan. Located on The Strand on Belle Isle Park along the Detroit River, this museum places special interest on Detroit's role on national and regional maritime history... , a Coast Guard Coast guard A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with... post, and a municipal golf course. It is the largest island park in the United States. |