Cass–Davenport Historic District facts for kids
The Cass–Davenport Historic District is a special area in Detroit, Michigan. It has four old apartment buildings. This district is located near Cass Avenue, Davenport Street, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. This means it's an important historical place.
Quick facts for kids |
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Cass–Davenport Historic District
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Davenport, Chesterfield, and Naomi Apartments
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| Location | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Baxter & O'Dell; Putnam & Moore |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Tudor Revival, Beaux-Arts |
| MPS | Cass Farm MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001100 |
| Added to NRHP | September 22, 1997 |
History of the Cass–Davenport District
These four apartment buildings show how building design changed in Detroit. At first, buildings were small and fancy. Later, they became much larger.
Early Apartment Buildings (1905-1911)
Two of the buildings, the Davenport Apartment Building and the Chesterfield Apartments, were built first. Theodore F. Shotwell built them. These early buildings were small. They had a few large, fancy apartments. They were made for rich people.
In 1905, Shotwell bought land for the Davenport Apartment. It cost $10,500 to build. It had seven apartments. In 1911, Shotwell started building the Chesterfield. This cost $26,000. The first people who lived in these buildings were lawyers, business leaders, and widows.
Growth and Larger Buildings (1924)
Detroit's population grew a lot because of the car industry. More people needed homes. So, new apartment buildings were built. These were bigger and had more apartments. The apartments were smaller and simpler. They were made for middle-class workers.
The other two buildings in this district were built during this time. In 1924, John and George Pouroujalian built the Aderna Court Apartments. These cost about $119,000. The Aderna Court had shops on the first floor. It also had apartments above. Some of the first shops were a beauty salon, a laundry, and a restaurant.
Also in 1924, the Naomi Apartments were built. They were worth $447,000 when finished.
Life in the Buildings Today
Only the Aderna Court Apartments have always had people living in them. The Chesterfield building was fixed up and reopened in 2006. The Davenport and Naomi Apartments have also been planned for new life.
Exploring the Buildings of the District
The district has four apartment buildings. They are near Cass Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. All these buildings are three to six stories tall. They are made of brick with stone details. They show how apartment design changed in Detroit.
Here are the buildings:
Davenport Apartments, 149 Davenport
The Davenport Apartment was built in 1905. It has a style called Beaux-Arts. It is a small building, about 50 feet by 55 feet. The front looks balanced. The main entrance is in the middle. Bay windows stick out from the corners.
Chesterfield Apartments (Bon Rea Apartments)
The Chesterfield Apartments were built in 1911. They have a Classical Revival style. This four-story building has a raised basement. It is 70 feet by 80 feet. The front is balanced. It has a large porch in the middle.
Aderna Court Apartments (Wayne Court Apartments), 3527 Cass
The Aderna Court Apartments were built in 1924. They are in the Tudor Revival style. This is a four-story brick building with a flat roof. It is 67 feet by 136 feet. The first floor has stone. It also has spaces for shops. The front is balanced. The entrance is in the middle.
Naomi Apartments (Cass Plaza Apartments), 3550 Cass
The Naomi Apartments were built in 1924. They are in the Italian Renaissance style. This is a six-story brick building. It is 60 feet by 166 feet. The front is balanced. The first floor is covered in stone. The windows are placed in a regular way. The sixth floor has fancy arched windows. The building was fixed up between 2014 and 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Distrito Histórico de Cass-Davenport para niños
