Coleman A. Young Municipal Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coleman A. Young Municipal Center |
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The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, looking southeast from West Larned Street.
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | City Hall |
| Location | 2 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
| Construction started | 1951 |
| Completed | 1954 |
| Management | Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority |
| Height | |
| Roof | 318 ft (97 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 20 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Harley, Ellington & Day |
The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center is an important government building and courthouse in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located at 2 Woodward Avenue. This building is the main office for the City of Detroit government.
It was first called the City-County Building. After Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young passed away in 1997, the building was renamed in his honor.
The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center holds many offices, courtrooms, and meeting rooms. It stands close to other famous Detroit landmarks. These include the Renaissance Center, Hart Plaza, and the Ally Detroit Center.
Contents
Building Design and Look
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The building has a modern design, known as the International style. It was designed by the architecture company Harley, Ellington and Day. Construction started in 1951 and finished in 1954.
This skyscraper is 20 floors tall. If you include the basement, it has 21 floors in total.
Most of the building's outside walls are covered with white marble from Vermont. Black marble panels are placed under the windows of the Courts Tower. This design makes the building look very tall and straight. The taller tower looks different from the 14-story office section. The office section has more horizontal lines.
Two Main Towers
The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center is made up of two main parts, or towers.
Administration Tower
The shorter part of the building is called the Administration Tower. It has 14 stories and is about 197 ft (60 m) tall. This tower holds offices for the City of Detroit and Wayne County. You can also find doctor clinics, labs, and a city library here. The City Council auditorium chambers are on the 13th floor.
Courts Tower
The taller part is called the Courts Tower. It has 20 stories and is about 318 ft (97 m) tall. The first eight floors have office spaces. Floors 9 through 19 contain courtrooms, judges' offices, and jury rooms. The very top floor, the 20th, holds the building's mechanical equipment.
A tall marble wall stands near the Courts Tower. It is about 43.5 feet (13.3 m) high. This wall connects to the tower with a covered walkway, which forms the main entrance on Woodward Avenue. Carved into this wall are special pictures, called bas reliefs. These show the seals of Detroit and Wayne County. There is also a quote from the Bible (2 Corinthians 3:17) that says: Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
The Spirit of Detroit Statue
A famous bronze statue called The Spirit of Detroit stands next to the Courts Tower's marble wall. It was created by sculptor Marshall Fredericks and is 25 feet (7.6 m) tall. This statue is one of Detroit's most famous symbols. You can often see a drawing of it in the logos of many city departments.
When Detroit's sports teams, like the Red Wings, Pistons, or Tigers, are playing for a championship, the statue gets a special outfit. It traditionally wears a giant version of that team's jersey!
Skyway Connection
There is an enclosed walkway, or skyway, that goes over Randolph Street. This skyway connects the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center to the Millender Center and the Courtyard by Marriott - Downtown Detroit. It creates a kind of "city within a city" where people can walk indoors. To enter the third-floor level from this walkway, you need a security pass. If you don't have one, you must use the main entrance on the ground floor.
How the Building Works
The Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority manages the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. This group was created in 1948 by the Michigan Legislature. The building has a library, a courthouse, and the city hall offices.
When it first opened, this building replaced the old Detroit City Hall and the Wayne County Building. Over time, many Wayne County offices moved to the nearby Guardian Building. The Guardian Building is now the county's main headquarters. However, some Wayne County offices, like the Wayne County Clerk's office and parts of the Wayne County Circuit Court, are still in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.
On June 28, 2008, the building was hit by lightning during a strong thunderstorm. This caused some damage inside the building. It reopened for service on July 9, 2008.
See also
In Spanish: Coleman A. Young Municipal Center para niños
