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Bankers Trust Company Building, Detroit facts for kids

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Bankers Trust Company Building
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property
Banker's Trust Company Building Detroit MI.jpg
Location 205 West Congress Street
Detroit, Michigan
Built 1925
Architect Wirt C. Rowland of Smith, Hinchman & Grylls
Architectural style Romanesque Revival
Part of Detroit Financial District (ID09001067)
Designated CP December 14, 2009

The Bankers Trust Company Building is a cool old office building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. You can find it in the city's Financial District. This building was finished in 1925. It was designed by a famous architect named Wirt C. Rowland. He worked for the company Smith, Hinchman & Grylls. The building looks very fancy and is a great example of Italian Romanesque Revival architecture. This style brings back old Roman and medieval looks.

History of the Building

The Bankers Trust Company started in 1917. Their first offices were in another building nearby. But they soon wanted their own special place. So, they hired the same architects, Smith, Hinchman & Grylls. Wirt C. Rowland designed their new main building. It was finished in 1925.

The Bankers Trust Company used the building until 1948. After that, different businesses moved in. It was home to a stock brokerage firm. Later, it even had a fast food restaurant and a diner. There were also several nightclubs in the building over the years. In 2015, the building was sold for $3 million.

What the Building Looks Like

This building has two floors and is covered in a special material called terra cotta. It has many fancy decorations outside. These decorations are in the Italian Romanesque style. The building has huge arched windows on the first floor. These windows were made to let lots of light into the main banking room. The second floor also has similar large arches.

At the corner entrance, you can see green marble columns. These columns have lion statues on top. The entrance used to have a spinning door, but it's not there anymore. The inside of the building has been changed many times. This happened as different businesses used the space. In 1960, a three-story part was added to the building. This addition was designed in a modern style called the International Style.

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