University-Cultural Center Multiple Resource Area
Encyclopedia
The University-Cultural Center MRA (Multiple Resource Area) is a pair of multiple property submissions to the National Register of Historic Places
which were approved on April 29 and May 1, 1986. The structures included are all located in Midtown, near Woodward Avenue and Wayne State University
in Detroit, Michigan
. The two submissions are designated the University-Cultural Center MRA Phase I, containing five properties, and the University-Cultural Center MRA Phase II, containing three properties.
, the city of Detroit platted and sold lots along Woodward to private developers. Houses first appeared along Woodward in the 1860s, and construction in the area reached a peak in the 1880s and 1890s as developments off Woodward, first to the east and then to the west, were platted. Construction east of Second Avenue did not reach full swing until the early 1900s.
At the end of the 19th century, Central High School (now Old Main
) was constructed on Cass and Warren. The building acted as a magnet, attracting other institutions that were educational and artistic in function, culminating in the erection of the Detroit Institute of Arts
and the Detroit Public Library
along Woodward Avenue in the 1920s.
The rise of the automobile in the 1910s and 1920s had a twofold effect on the University-Cultural Center area. The prosperous automotive trade increased the population of Detroit by nearly a factor of four between 1900 and 1920. This pushed the city limits far to the north, making what once had been a suburban, open area into the heart of the city. The University-Cultural Center area also became home to automotive-related commercial and industrial businesses, particularly along Woodward and Cass.
In the mid-1920s, large apartment buildings with first-floor commercial space were constructed in the area, bringing more residents into the area and reducing the pressure for store frontage. At the same time, the former residents of the upper-class, turn-of-the-century homes moved farther out into new neighborhoods such as Boston-Edison, Arden Park-East Boston, or Virginia Park
. The remaining mansions were repurposed as boardinghouses or commercial space.
Cultural and educational institutions were being developed in the area at around the same time, beginning with the previously mentioned Detroit Institute of Arts
and the Detroit Public Library
. At the same time, Wayne State University
, then housed in the former Central High School, began offering four-year degrees. These institutions formed a core area that attracted other public-oriented institutions, including several music schools, the Merrill-Palmer Institute
, the Detroit Historical Museum
, College for Creative Studies
, and other institutions created campuses in the area.
In particular, Wayne State University
has been continuously expanding since its inception as a four-year degree granting institution in the 1930s. The university first expanded out of its Old Main home in 1933, and four years later was utilizing over a dozen former residences in the vicinity. In the 1940s, the university obtained land in the surrounding blocks through emininent domain. Further increases in enrollment and the availability of Federal funds in the 1960s allowed the university to extend its campus south and west.
The public-oriented buildings are most noticeable in the heart of the cultural complex, with the Detroit Institute of Arts
and the Detroit Public Library
, as well as other surrounding museums and cultural institutions. Wayne State University also sports a swath of public buildings on the west side of the area, many built in the 1950s and 1960s. In additi, a number of churches dot the area, including the Cathedral Church of St. Paul
and the First Congregational Church
.
The primary location of commercial buildings is along the Woodward and Cass corridors. Although the commercial activity is reduced from what is was in the heyday of the area, it still continues, particularly in service of students at Wayne State. Farther north in the area are sites which were originally primarily industrial, now grouped in the New Amsterdam Historic District
and the Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
.
The housing stock in the area is substantially constructed before 1914. Of these, the original single- family homes have been substantially demolished to make way for the waves of redevelopment as multi-unit structures, commercial structures, and cultural and educational-related structures were erected. Some pockets of single-family homes remain, notably in the eastern section with the East Ferry Avenue Historic District
, the homes near Dunbar Hospital
, and just south of the University-Cultural Center (but within Midtown), Brush Park. In the west, the West Canfield Historic District
stands as the single contiguous block of early homes in the area. Other single-family homes exist individually.
Many of the earlier homes were replaced by multi-unit apartment structures. Early, smaller apartment buildings predominate in the area, particularly along Second Avenue. These units are typically four to five stories in height and were built in the mid-1910s and early 1920s. Later large apartment buildings, typically nine to thirteen stories in height, were built during the housing boom of the 1920s; these structures include The Wardell
and the Belcrest Hotel
also dot the area.
Many of the structures within the University-Cultural Center area were designed by well-known architects, including Albert Kahn, Cass Gilbert
, Louis Kamper
, Gordon W. Lloyd
, Donaldson and Meier, and Ralph Adams Cram
. Architectural styles of the buildings in the area representsd the range of styles current at the time of construction. Early single family homes demonstrate Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, and particularly Queen Anne stylings. Later residences were built in the Colonial Revival and Federal Revival styles. Great public buildings such as the DIA and the library were built in the Italian Renaissance
with Beaux Arts influences.
, Col. Frank J. Hecker House
, and David Whitney House
), public-oriented structures (the Hilberry Theatre
, Scarab Club
, Orchestra Hall
, Detroit Institute of Arts
, Rackham Building
, Detroit Public Library
, and Old Main
), large apartment and commercial buildings (the Belcrest Hotel
and Macabees Building) and two historic districts (the East Ferry Avenue Historic District
and the West Canfield Historic District
).
When researching structures within the University-Cultural Center, the decision was made by the group nominating the structures to concentrate on two specific areas. For Phase I, the area bounded by Woodward Avenue on the east, Second Avenue on the west, Warren Avenue on the south, and the Ford Freeway on the north was targeted. For Phase II, the area on the campus of Wayne State University
and bounded by Second avenue on the east and the Lodge Freeway on the west was targeted.
These structures represent each faced of the mixed-use history of the University-Cultural Center, from the original upper-class single family homes (the Herman Strasburg House
, the Thomas S. Sprague House
, and the Samuel L. Smith House
), to the later apartments, both small (Verona Apartments) and large (the Chatsworth Apartments
and Santa Fe Apartments
), to commercial establishments (Cass Motor Sales
) and public-oriented institutions (Saint Andrew's Memorial Episcopal Church
). Many of these structures have been repurposed as the character of the area changes and different types of space a re required.
(I-75) on the east, the Lodge Freeway (M-10) on the west, the Grand Trunk Railroad tracks on the north, and Selden Street, Parsons Street, East Willis Street, and East Warren Avenue on the south. This particular appellation has fallen out of use, replaced by "Midtown", which extends the southern University-Cultural Center noundary to the Fisher Freeway (I-75), and contracts the northern boundary to the Ford Freeway
(I-94). All the structures in this MRA are located within Midtown. The section of the University-Cultural Center not included in Midtown is primarily industrial in nature (unlike the residential and commercial buildings in this MRA), and contains the New Amsterdam Historic District
and the Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
.
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...
which were approved on April 29 and May 1, 1986. The structures included are all located in Midtown, near Woodward Avenue and Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
in Detroit, Michigan
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...
. The two submissions are designated the University-Cultural Center MRA Phase I, containing five properties, and the University-Cultural Center MRA Phase II, containing three properties.
History
From the middle of the 19th century until the 1920s, the area that is now the University-Cultural Center was characterized by upper-class single-family homes. After the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the city of Detroit platted and sold lots along Woodward to private developers. Houses first appeared along Woodward in the 1860s, and construction in the area reached a peak in the 1880s and 1890s as developments off Woodward, first to the east and then to the west, were platted. Construction east of Second Avenue did not reach full swing until the early 1900s.
At the end of the 19th century, Central High School (now Old Main
Old Main (Wayne State University)
Old Main is an academic building on the campus of Wayne State University. It is located at 4841 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan on Wayne's main campus.-Location:...
) was constructed on Cass and Warren. The building acted as a magnet, attracting other institutions that were educational and artistic in function, culminating in the erection of the Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts is a renowned art museum in the city of Detroit. In 2003, the DIA ranked as the second largest municipally owned museum in the United States, with an art collection valued at more than one billion dollars...
and the Detroit Public Library
Detroit Public Library
The Detroit Public Library is the second largest library system in Michigan by volumes held , and is the 20th largest library system in the United States. It is composed of a Main Library on Woodward Avenue, which houses DPL administration offices, and twenty-three branch locations across the city...
along Woodward Avenue in the 1920s.
The rise of the automobile in the 1910s and 1920s had a twofold effect on the University-Cultural Center area. The prosperous automotive trade increased the population of Detroit by nearly a factor of four between 1900 and 1920. This pushed the city limits far to the north, making what once had been a suburban, open area into the heart of the city. The University-Cultural Center area also became home to automotive-related commercial and industrial businesses, particularly along Woodward and Cass.
In the mid-1920s, large apartment buildings with first-floor commercial space were constructed in the area, bringing more residents into the area and reducing the pressure for store frontage. At the same time, the former residents of the upper-class, turn-of-the-century homes moved farther out into new neighborhoods such as Boston-Edison, Arden Park-East Boston, or Virginia Park
Virginia Park Historic District
The Virginia Park Historic District is located in Detroit, Michigan, along both sides of Virginia Park Avenue from Woodward Avenue to the John C. Lodge Freeway access road...
. The remaining mansions were repurposed as boardinghouses or commercial space.
Cultural and educational institutions were being developed in the area at around the same time, beginning with the previously mentioned Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts is a renowned art museum in the city of Detroit. In 2003, the DIA ranked as the second largest municipally owned museum in the United States, with an art collection valued at more than one billion dollars...
and the Detroit Public Library
Detroit Public Library
The Detroit Public Library is the second largest library system in Michigan by volumes held , and is the 20th largest library system in the United States. It is composed of a Main Library on Woodward Avenue, which houses DPL administration offices, and twenty-three branch locations across the city...
. At the same time, Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
, then housed in the former Central High School, began offering four-year degrees. These institutions formed a core area that attracted other public-oriented institutions, including several music schools, the Merrill-Palmer Institute
Charles Lang Freer House
The Charles Lang Freer House is located at 71 East Ferry Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Originally built by the industrialist and art collector Charles Lang Freer whose gift of the Freer Gallery of Art began the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The house is currently the Merrill Palmer...
, the Detroit Historical Museum
Detroit Historical Museum
The Detroit Historical Museum is located at 5401 Woodward Avenue in the city's Cultural Center Historic District in Midtown Detroit. It chronicles the history of the Detroit area from cobblestone streets, 19th century stores, the auto assembly line, toy trains, fur trading from the 18th century,...
, College for Creative Studies
College for Creative Studies
College for Creative Studies is an art education institution in the United States and was cited by BusinessWeek as one of the 60 best design schools in the world. It is a private, fully accredited, four-year college located in Detroit, Michigan...
, and other institutions created campuses in the area.
In particular, Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
has been continuously expanding since its inception as a four-year degree granting institution in the 1930s. The university first expanded out of its Old Main home in 1933, and four years later was utilizing over a dozen former residences in the vicinity. In the 1940s, the university obtained land in the surrounding blocks through emininent domain. Further increases in enrollment and the availability of Federal funds in the 1960s allowed the university to extend its campus south and west.
Architecture
Because of its history, the structures within the University-Cultural Center come in four distinct types: the public-oriented buildings, commercial and industrial establishments, single-family homes, and large multi-unit apartment complexes.The public-oriented buildings are most noticeable in the heart of the cultural complex, with the Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts is a renowned art museum in the city of Detroit. In 2003, the DIA ranked as the second largest municipally owned museum in the United States, with an art collection valued at more than one billion dollars...
and the Detroit Public Library
Detroit Public Library
The Detroit Public Library is the second largest library system in Michigan by volumes held , and is the 20th largest library system in the United States. It is composed of a Main Library on Woodward Avenue, which houses DPL administration offices, and twenty-three branch locations across the city...
, as well as other surrounding museums and cultural institutions. Wayne State University also sports a swath of public buildings on the west side of the area, many built in the 1950s and 1960s. In additi, a number of churches dot the area, including the Cathedral Church of St. Paul
Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. The cathedral is located at 4800 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, adjacent to the campus of Wayne State University. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in...
and the First Congregational Church
First Congregational Church (Detroit, Michigan)
The First Congregational Church is located at 33 E. Forest in Detroit, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979....
.
The primary location of commercial buildings is along the Woodward and Cass corridors. Although the commercial activity is reduced from what is was in the heyday of the area, it still continues, particularly in service of students at Wayne State. Farther north in the area are sites which were originally primarily industrial, now grouped in the New Amsterdam Historic District
New Amsterdam Historic District
The New Amsterdam Historic District is a historic district located in Detroit, Michigan. Buildings in this district are on or near three sequential east-west streets on the two blocks between Woodward Avenue and Second Avenue...
and the Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
The Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District is a historic district located along Piquette Street in Detroit, Michigan, from Woodward Avenue on the west to Hastings Street on the east. The district extends approximately one block south of Piquette to Harper, and one block north to the Grand...
.
The housing stock in the area is substantially constructed before 1914. Of these, the original single- family homes have been substantially demolished to make way for the waves of redevelopment as multi-unit structures, commercial structures, and cultural and educational-related structures were erected. Some pockets of single-family homes remain, notably in the eastern section with the East Ferry Avenue Historic District
East Ferry Avenue Historic District
The East Ferry Avenue Historic District is a historic residential district in Detroit, Michigan. The nationally-designated historic district stretches two blocks from Woodward Avenue east to Brush; the locally-designated historic district includes a third block between Brush and Beaubien. The...
, the homes near Dunbar Hospital
Dunbar Hospital
Dunbar Hospital was the first hospital in Detroit, Michigan for the black community. It is located at 580 Frederick Street, and is currently the administrative headquarters of the Detroit Medical Society. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.- Building construction...
, and just south of the University-Cultural Center (but within Midtown), Brush Park. In the west, the West Canfield Historic District
West Canfield Historic District
The West Canfield Historic District is a neighborhood historic district located primarily on Canfield Avenue between Second and Third Streets in Detroit, Michigan. A boundary increase enlarged the district to include buildings on Third Avenue between Canfield and Calumet...
stands as the single contiguous block of early homes in the area. Other single-family homes exist individually.
Many of the earlier homes were replaced by multi-unit apartment structures. Early, smaller apartment buildings predominate in the area, particularly along Second Avenue. These units are typically four to five stories in height and were built in the mid-1910s and early 1920s. Later large apartment buildings, typically nine to thirteen stories in height, were built during the housing boom of the 1920s; these structures include The Wardell
The Wardell
The Park Shelton is an historic condominium building located at 15 E. Kirby Avenue in Detroit, Michigan...
and the Belcrest Hotel
Belcrest Hotel
The Belcrest Apartments is an apartment building located at 5440 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was built in 1926 as the Belcrest Hotel, designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1983, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.- History :The Belcrest Apartment Hotel...
also dot the area.
Many of the structures within the University-Cultural Center area were designed by well-known architects, including Albert Kahn, Cass Gilbert
Cass Gilbert
- Historical impact :Gilbert is considered a skyscraper pioneer; when designing the Woolworth Building he moved into unproven ground — though he certainly was aware of the ground-breaking work done by Chicago architects on skyscrapers and once discussed merging firms with the legendary Daniel...
, Louis Kamper
Louis Kamper
Louis Kamper was an American architect, active in and aroundDetroit and Wayne County, Michigan, in the United States.-Project range:...
, Gordon W. Lloyd
Gordon W. Lloyd
Gordon W. Lloyd was an architect of English origin, whose work was primarily in the American Midwest. After being taught by his uncle, Ewan Christian, at the Royal Academy, Lloyd moved to Detroit in 1858. There he established himself as a popular architect of Episcopal churches and cathedrals in...
, Donaldson and Meier, and Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram FAIA, , was a prolific and influential American architect of collegiate and ecclesiastical buildings, often in the Gothic style. Cram & Ferguson and Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson are partnerships in which he worked.-Early life:Cram was born on December 16, 1863 at Hampton Falls, New...
. Architectural styles of the buildings in the area representsd the range of styles current at the time of construction. Early single family homes demonstrate Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, and particularly Queen Anne stylings. Later residences were built in the Colonial Revival and Federal Revival styles. Great public buildings such as the DIA and the library were built in the Italian 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...
with Beaux Arts influences.
Phases I and II
At the time of the original submission, the area continued within the University-Cultural Center had numerous structures and historic districts already listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These included structures built as private homes (the David Mackenzie HouseWayne State University Buildings
The Wayne State University Buildings historic district consists of three buildings on 4735-4841 Cass Ave in Detroit, Michigan: the Mackenzie House , the Hilberry Theater , and Old Main , all on the campus of Wayne State University...
, Col. Frank J. Hecker House
Col. Frank J. Hecker House
The Col. Frank J. Hecker House is located at 5510 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The mansion serves as the Royal Danish Consulate in Detroit. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1958 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.-Col. Hecker:Col. Frank J...
, and David Whitney House
David Whitney House
The David Whitney House is located at 4421 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The building was constructed as a private residence, but is open to the public as The Whitney Restaurant...
), public-oriented structures (the Hilberry Theatre
Wayne State University Buildings
The Wayne State University Buildings historic district consists of three buildings on 4735-4841 Cass Ave in Detroit, Michigan: the Mackenzie House , the Hilberry Theater , and Old Main , all on the campus of Wayne State University...
, Scarab Club
Scarab Club
The Scarab Club is an artists' club, gallery, and studio in the Cultural Center Historic District of Detroit, Michigan, located at 217 Farnsworth Street, near the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Science Center...
, Orchestra Hall
Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Orchestra Hall is a concert hall located at 3711 Woodward Avenue in midtown Detroit, Michigan. The hall is renowned for its superior acoustic properties and serves as the home of the internationally known Detroit Symphony Orchestra , the fourth oldest orchestra in the United States...
, Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts is a renowned art museum in the city of Detroit. In 2003, the DIA ranked as the second largest municipally owned museum in the United States, with an art collection valued at more than one billion dollars...
, Rackham Building
Cultural Center Historic District
The Cultural Center Historic District is a historic district located in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, which includes the Art Center : the Detroit Public Library, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Horace H. Rackham Education Memorial Building were listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
, Detroit Public Library
Detroit Public Library
The Detroit Public Library is the second largest library system in Michigan by volumes held , and is the 20th largest library system in the United States. It is composed of a Main Library on Woodward Avenue, which houses DPL administration offices, and twenty-three branch locations across the city...
, and Old Main
Old Main (Wayne State University)
Old Main is an academic building on the campus of Wayne State University. It is located at 4841 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan on Wayne's main campus.-Location:...
), large apartment and commercial buildings (the Belcrest Hotel
Belcrest Hotel
The Belcrest Apartments is an apartment building located at 5440 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was built in 1926 as the Belcrest Hotel, designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1983, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.- History :The Belcrest Apartment Hotel...
and Macabees Building) and two historic districts (the East Ferry Avenue Historic District
East Ferry Avenue Historic District
The East Ferry Avenue Historic District is a historic residential district in Detroit, Michigan. The nationally-designated historic district stretches two blocks from Woodward Avenue east to Brush; the locally-designated historic district includes a third block between Brush and Beaubien. The...
and the West Canfield Historic District
West Canfield Historic District
The West Canfield Historic District is a neighborhood historic district located primarily on Canfield Avenue between Second and Third Streets in Detroit, Michigan. A boundary increase enlarged the district to include buildings on Third Avenue between Canfield and Calumet...
).
When researching structures within the University-Cultural Center, the decision was made by the group nominating the structures to concentrate on two specific areas. For Phase I, the area bounded by Woodward Avenue on the east, Second Avenue on the west, Warren Avenue on the south, and the Ford Freeway on the north was targeted. For Phase II, the area on the campus of Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
and bounded by Second avenue on the east and the Lodge Freeway on the west was targeted.
| Resource Name | Image | Address | Built | Architect | Phase | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cass Motor Sales Cass Motor Sales Cass Motor Sales is a commercial building located at 5800 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- History :... |
 |
5800 Cass Avenue | 1928 | Unknown | Phase I | |
| Samuel L. Smith House Samuel L. Smith House The Samuel L. Smith House is located at 5035 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was also known as the Schools Annex. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- History :... |
 |
5035 Woodward Avenue | 1889 | Rogers and MacFarlane Rogers and MacFarlane Rogers and MacFarlane was an architectural firm based in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 1885 by James S. Rogers and Walter MacFarlane. The firm produced Commissions in Detroit and southern Michigan from 1885 until 1912.... |
Phase I | |
| Thomas S. Sprague House Thomas S. Sprague House The Thomas S Sprague House was a private residence located at 80 W. Palmer in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, but was subsequently demolished.- References :... |
 |
80 West Palmer Street | 1884 | William Scott & Co | Phase I | This structure has been demolished. |
| Herman Strasburg House Herman Strasburg House The Herman Strasburg House is located at 5415 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It is now known as the Wayne State University Music Annex. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- History :... |
 |
5415 Cass Avenue | 1915 | Marcus R. Burrowes | Phase I | |
| Verona Apartments |  |
92 West Ferry Street | 1894 | William G. Malcomson, William E. Higginbotham Malcomson and Higginbotham Malcomson and Higginbotham was an architectural firm started in the nineteenth century and based in Detroit, Michigan. A successor firm, Malcomson-Greimel and Associates still exists in Rochester, Michigan as of 2010.-History:... |
Phase I | |
| Chatsworth Apartments Chatsworth Apartments The Chatsworth Apartments is an apartment building located at 630 Merrick in Detroit, Michigan, on the campus of Wayne State University. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- Description :... |
 |
630 Merrick Street (now on Wayne State University Wayne State University Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and... 's campus) |
1927 | Pollmar, Ropes & Lundy | Phase II | |
| Saint Andrew's Memorial Episcopal Church Saint Andrew's Memorial Episcopal Church Saint Andrew's Memorial Episcopal Church is a church located at 5105 Anthony Wayne Dr. in Detroit, Michigan. As of 2008, it is used by Wayne State University and referred to as St. Andrew's Hall; street layout changes have re-indexed the address to 918 Ludington Mall. The church was listed on the... |
 |
5105 Anthony Wayne Drive (now on Wayne State University Wayne State University Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and... 's campus) |
1894 | Cram, Wentworth & Goodhue Ralph Adams Cram Ralph Adams Cram FAIA, , was a prolific and influential American architect of collegiate and ecclesiastical buildings, often in the Gothic style. Cram & Ferguson and Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson are partnerships in which he worked.-Early life:Cram was born on December 16, 1863 at Hampton Falls, New... |
Phase II | |
| Santa Fe Apartments Santa Fe Apartments The Santa Fe Apartments were an apartment building located at 681 Merrick in Detroit, Michigan. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and subsequently demolished by Wayne State University; the site is now the location of Yousif B. Ghafari Hall.- Significance... |
 |
681 Merrick Street (now on Wayne State University Wayne State University Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and... 's campus) |
1925 | F.W. Wiedmaier, John B. Gay | Phase II | This structure has been demolished. |
These structures represent each faced of the mixed-use history of the University-Cultural Center, from the original upper-class single family homes (the Herman Strasburg House
Herman Strasburg House
The Herman Strasburg House is located at 5415 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It is now known as the Wayne State University Music Annex. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- History :...
, the Thomas S. Sprague House
Thomas S. Sprague House
The Thomas S Sprague House was a private residence located at 80 W. Palmer in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, but was subsequently demolished.- References :...
, and the Samuel L. Smith House
Samuel L. Smith House
The Samuel L. Smith House is located at 5035 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was also known as the Schools Annex. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- History :...
), to the later apartments, both small (Verona Apartments) and large (the Chatsworth Apartments
Chatsworth Apartments
The Chatsworth Apartments is an apartment building located at 630 Merrick in Detroit, Michigan, on the campus of Wayne State University. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- Description :...
and Santa Fe Apartments
Santa Fe Apartments
The Santa Fe Apartments were an apartment building located at 681 Merrick in Detroit, Michigan. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and subsequently demolished by Wayne State University; the site is now the location of Yousif B. Ghafari Hall.- Significance...
), to commercial establishments (Cass Motor Sales
Cass Motor Sales
Cass Motor Sales is a commercial building located at 5800 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.- History :...
) and public-oriented institutions (Saint Andrew's Memorial Episcopal Church
Saint Andrew's Memorial Episcopal Church
Saint Andrew's Memorial Episcopal Church is a church located at 5105 Anthony Wayne Dr. in Detroit, Michigan. As of 2008, it is used by Wayne State University and referred to as St. Andrew's Hall; street layout changes have re-indexed the address to 918 Ludington Mall. The church was listed on the...
). Many of these structures have been repurposed as the character of the area changes and different types of space a re required.
Location
The University-Cultural Center is a section of Detroit bounded by the Chrysler FreewayChrysler Freeway
The Chrysler Freeway is the name given to a freeway in the Detroit area. It is composed of:*Interstate 375 south of the junction with the Fisher Freeway*Interstate 75 in Michigan north of the junction with the Fisher Freeway...
(I-75) on the east, the Lodge Freeway (M-10) on the west, the Grand Trunk Railroad tracks on the north, and Selden Street, Parsons Street, East Willis Street, and East Warren Avenue on the south. This particular appellation has fallen out of use, replaced by "Midtown", which extends the southern University-Cultural Center noundary to the Fisher Freeway (I-75), and contracts the northern boundary to the Ford Freeway
Ford Freeway
Ford Freeway can refer to:*Bishop Ford Freeway, part of I-94 in the Chicago area*Edsel Ford Freeway, part of I-94 in Detroit*Gerald R. Ford Freeway , part of I-480 in Nebraska*Gerald R. Ford Freeway , part of I-196 in Michigan...
(I-94). All the structures in this MRA are located within Midtown. The section of the University-Cultural Center not included in Midtown is primarily industrial in nature (unlike the residential and commercial buildings in this MRA), and contains the New Amsterdam Historic District
New Amsterdam Historic District
The New Amsterdam Historic District is a historic district located in Detroit, Michigan. Buildings in this district are on or near three sequential east-west streets on the two blocks between Woodward Avenue and Second Avenue...
and the Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District
The Piquette Avenue Industrial Historic District is a historic district located along Piquette Street in Detroit, Michigan, from Woodward Avenue on the west to Hastings Street on the east. The district extends approximately one block south of Piquette to Harper, and one block north to the Grand...
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