United Way Community Services Building
Encyclopedia
The United Way Community Services Building is a high-rise office building completed in 1895 at 1212 Griswold Street
, at the northeast corner of State Street, in the Capitol Park Historic District
of downtown Detroit
, Michigan
. The 48.77 m (160 ft) 12-storey
building was designed by architects, Spier and Rohns
, and was the tallest in the state when built. The lower two floors are faced with a brown rusticated stone with the main entry centered on the south facade and framed by four square pilasters of gray granite. Floors three through five are smooth stone and floors six through twelve are tan brick. The structure originally had an elaborate cornice surrounding the twelfth floor which was removed in the 1950s. The light court which extended from the fifth to twelfth floor above the entry was filled in 1988 and faced with glass and a gabled glass roof to provide additional office space.
The building was owned and occupied by the United Way for Southeastern Michigan from 1987 to 2009, and is currently owned by the city's redevelopment agency. For many years prior to 1987, it was known as the Detroit Savings Bank Building contained offices for the Detroit Savings Bank, which became Detroit Bank and Trust and later Comerica
.
At the time of construction it was known as the Chamber of Commerce Building and, at 12 stories, is Detroit's oldest existing skyscraper and the among the first constructed in the city with a steel skeleton. The 10-story Hammond Building
(1889), now demolished, is considered the city's first skyscraper. Chase Tower
in the Detroit Financial District
now stands on former Hammond Building
site.
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...
, at the northeast corner of State Street, in the Capitol Park Historic District
Capitol Park Historic District
Capitol Park Historic District is a historic district located in Detroit, Michigan. It is roughly bounded by Grand River, Woodward and Michigan Avenues, and Washington Boulevard...
of 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"....
. The 48.77 m (160 ft) 12-storey
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
building was designed by architects, Spier and Rohns
Spier and Rohns
Spier & Rohns was a noted Detroit architectural firm operated by Frederick Spier and W. C. Rohns, best remembered for designs of churches and railroad stations...
, and was the tallest in the state when built. The lower two floors are faced with a brown rusticated stone with the main entry centered on the south facade and framed by four square pilasters of gray granite. Floors three through five are smooth stone and floors six through twelve are tan brick. The structure originally had an elaborate cornice surrounding the twelfth floor which was removed in the 1950s. The light court which extended from the fifth to twelfth floor above the entry was filled in 1988 and faced with glass and a gabled glass roof to provide additional office space.
The building was owned and occupied by the United Way for Southeastern Michigan from 1987 to 2009, and is currently owned by the city's redevelopment agency. For many years prior to 1987, it was known as the Detroit Savings Bank Building contained offices for the Detroit Savings Bank, which became Detroit Bank and Trust and later Comerica
Comerica
Comerica Incorporated is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA. It has retail banking operations in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas; and select business operations in several other U.S...
.
At the time of construction it was known as the Chamber of Commerce Building and, at 12 stories, is Detroit's oldest existing skyscraper and the among the first constructed in the city with a steel skeleton. The 10-story Hammond Building
Hammond Building
The Hammond Building was a high-rise building completed in 1889 at the corner of Griswold Street West Fort Street in the financial district of downtown, Detroit, Michigan. The building was designed by Harry W. J. Edbrooke, and is considered the first historic steel-framed skyscraper in the city,...
(1889), now demolished, is considered the city's first skyscraper. Chase Tower
Chase Tower (Detroit)
Chase Tower is a high-rise office building located at 611 Woodward Avenue, in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It was built in 1959 and stands at 14 floors in height. It was designed in the modern architectural style, and uses a great deal of marble to coordinate with the buildings in the nearby Civic...
in the Detroit Financial District
Detroit Financial District
The Detroit Financial District is a 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...
now stands on former Hammond Building
Hammond Building
The Hammond Building was a high-rise building completed in 1889 at the corner of Griswold Street West Fort Street in the financial district of downtown, Detroit, Michigan. The building was designed by Harry W. J. Edbrooke, and is considered the first historic steel-framed skyscraper in the city,...
site.