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Detroit Cornice and Slate Company Building facts for kids

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Detroit Cornice and Slate Company Building
Detroit Cornice and Slate Company Building.jpg
Location 733 St. Antoine Street
Detroit, Michigan
Built 1897
Architect Harry J. Rill
Architectural style Beaux-Arts
NRHP reference No. 74001000
Quick facts for kids
Significant dates
Added to NRHP December 16, 1974

The Detroit Cornice and Slate Company Building is a historic office building in Detroit, Michigan. It is located at 733 St. Antoine Street in Downtown. The building was designed in a special style called Beaux-Arts.

This building is important because it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It was also named a Michigan State Historic Site in the same year.

History of the Building

The Detroit Cornice and Slate Company was started by Frank Hesse in 1888. In 1897, the company decided to build a new office. They hired an architect named Harry J. Rill to design it. He created the three-story building in the Beaux-Arts style.

The company used this building until 1972. They needed more space for storing materials and for parking, so they moved to Ferndale. In 1974, the building was updated by architect Bill Kessler. It was then used for offices and shops.

In the 1990s, a newspaper called the Metro Times moved into the building. An extra part was built around the building to give the newspaper more room. In 1999, the building was restored again, and another addition was made.

In 2013, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan bought the building. At that time, the Metro Times newspaper and an event company called Paxahau were tenants there. The purchase meant these companies had to find new places. The Metro Times newspaper later moved its offices to Ferndale, Michigan.

How the Building Was Built

The outside of this building, called the facade, is made from carefully shaped galvanized steel. This type of metal allowed for fancy decorations to be made quickly and without costing too much. This was very helpful in places like Detroit, where it was hard to get stone easily.

The Detroit Cornice and Slate Company itself made many of the building's decorations. They created carvings that looked like stone, but they were actually made from sheet metal.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Detroit Cornice and Slate Company Building para niños

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