AT&T Michigan Headquarters facts for kids

AT&T Michigan Headquarters
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Office
Location	Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates	42°19′57″N 83°03′13″W / 42.3325°N 83.0536°W / 42.3325; -83.0536
Construction started	1917
Completed	1919, 1928, 1973
Height
Roof	97 m (318 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	17, 19
Design and construction
Architect	Smith, Hinchman & Grylls; H. G. Christman-Burke Company

The AT&T Michigan Headquarters is a group of tall buildings in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It's located on 1st Street, Cass Avenue, State Street, and Michigan Avenue. This important complex includes the AT&T Building, an addition to it, and a Maintenance Shop. It's owned by the big communications company, AT&T.

The AT&T Michigan Headquarters

The AT&T Michigan Headquarters is made up of several buildings. These include the original AT&T Building, a newer AT&T Building Addition, and a Maintenance Shop. Together, they form a large campus in the heart of Detroit.

The Main AT&T Building

The main AT&T Building has had a few names over the years. It was once called the SBC Building, the Ameritech Building, and the Michigan Bell Building. This building was first finished in 1919 for the Michigan Bell Telephone Company.

It was designed to be seven stories tall at first. But the plan allowed for more floors to be added later. In 1928, 12 more stories were built on top. This made the building 19 stories tall in total. You can see horizontal bands of limestone that show where the original building ended.

Building Design and Style

This tall building is the main office for AT&T in Michigan. It was designed in the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles. These styles use clean lines and geometric shapes. The building uses light brown brick and limestone on the outside.

The windows are grouped in pairs. They are separated by brick columns. Below the windows, there are bronze panels called spandrels. These panels show cool designs like lightning bolts and bells. These symbols are related to communication. The top floors (17 to 19) are set back and framed by large arches. The very top has a limestone railing and a copper roof.

Who Designed the Main Building?

The company Smith Hinchman & Grylls designed both the first part of the building and the later addition. Pontiac Construction built the first seven stories. The H. G. Christman-Burke Company built the 12-story addition.

When Michigan Bell decided to add more floors, the original design was a bit old-fashioned. So, Wirt C. Rowland, a chief designer, created a new plan. This new plan gave the building a modern look. It also meant they didn't have to change the original building much.

The Maintenance Shop

A nine-story Maintenance Shop was added in 1950. It is next to the main building, facing First Street and State Street. This part of the complex is covered with light brown brick. The bottom two floors have pink granite.

The AT&T Building Addition

The AT&T Building Addition is located at 444 Michigan Avenue. It was built in 1973 and finished in 1974. This building is 21 stories tall. However, some floors (18-20) can only be reached by a service elevator or stairs. The 21st floor is only by stairs. There are also three other hidden floors (7M, 13, and 15M). These are also only for service elevators or stairs.

Modern Design and Materials

This building holds office space and telecommunications equipment. It was designed in a modern architectural style. The outside of the building uses special steel that changes color over time. It also has bronze-tinted glass and granite. Like the older building, this addition was also planned so more floors could be added later if needed.

Later on, the special steel was painted. A covered entrance was added on Michigan Avenue. The same architecture firm, Smith Hinchman & Grylls, designed this addition too.

The Sculpture Story

When the addition was finished, a sculpture by Alexander Calder was placed outside. It was called Young Woman and Her Suitors. In 2006, the sculpture was taken away to be cleaned and cared for. In 2007, AT&T gave the sculpture to the Detroit Institute of Arts. It was moved to its new home in May 2008.

See Also

In Spanish: Sede de AT&T Míchigan para niños