Eighth Precinct Police Station facts for kids
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Eighth Precinct Police Station
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 Location in Michigan
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| Location | 4150 Grand River Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1900–01 |
| Architect | Louis Kamper |
| Architectural style | Châteauesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001001 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 31, 1974 |
The former Eighth Precinct Police Station is an old building in Detroit, Michigan. You can find it at 4150 Grand River Avenue, inside the Woodbridge Historic District. This building is very important because it's the second-oldest police station still standing in Detroit!
It was recognized as a special historical place in Michigan in 1973. A year later, in 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, this historic building has been changed into cool apartments called the Detroit Castle Lofts.
Contents
A Look Back: The Station's History
As the west side of Detroit grew bigger in the late 1800s, the city needed more services. This included police protection.
Early Police Stations in Detroit
In 1873, the city built a police station at Michigan and Trumbull streets. This station, called the Second Precinct, covered a large part of Detroit's west side. As more people moved into the area, smaller police offices, called substations, were added. One of these substations was built in 1879 at what is now Grand River and Rosa Parks.
Building the Current Station
The old substation was taken down in 1900. This made way for the building you see today. Famous architect Louis Kamper designed the new station. It was built between 1900 and 1901 and cost about $46,000.
In 1901, the police department made some changes. The original Second Precinct headquarters closed. The new building on Grand River became the main office for the Second Precinct.
Changes Over the Years
In 1903, the Second Precinct was split into two areas. The Grand River station then became the headquarters for the new Sixth Precinct. Later, in 1910, all the police areas in the city were renumbered. This station became the Eighth Precinct. It served the community until 1954, when the precinct was closed.
After 1954, the building was still used by the Detroit Police Department. First, it housed the Youth Bureau offices. Later, it was used by the Personnel Division. In 2013, the building got a new life. It was turned into modern apartments, helping to make the Woodbridge area lively again.
Exploring the Architecture: A Castle-Like Design
Louis Kamper designed this police station in a style called French Renaissance Châteauesque. This means it looks a bit like a French castle! He designed it as two separate buildings connected by a covered walkway.
The Main Building
The main building was used for offices. It has two and a half stories and is about 72 feet long and 45 feet wide. The first floor is made of strong limestone. The second floor is built with brick.
The Smaller Building
The smaller building also has two and a half stories. It is about 46 feet long and 30 feet wide. This building was first used as a stable for horses and carriages. Later, it became a garage for police vehicles. Like the main building, its first floor is limestone and the second is brick.
Castle-Like Features
Both buildings have high, pointed roofs. They also have towers with cone-shaped roofs. You can see fancy stone decorations that look like teeth, called dentils. These details make the buildings look like old castles, especially the towers.
The main entrance has a covered stone porch. It's framed by three round arches supported by columns. A decorative stone railing, called a balustrade, goes across the porch. You can also spot six faces carved into the stone above the columns. These faces represent important people from when the building was first built. They include Governor Hazen Pingree, Detroit mayor William Maybury, and the four men who were on the Detroit Police Commission.
Two towers with cone-shaped roofs stand on either side of the entrance. The windows in these towers have special stone frames. The highest window in each tower has a fancy stone hood over it. On the second story, a wall dormer (a window that sticks out from the roof) has three rectangular windows. Above them is a round window with a stone outline, framing a Maltese Cross.
The Garage Building's Details
The garage building has a full tower on its western corner. This tower looks just like the two on the main building. The main door of the garage is a double door with a round arch. The wall dormer on its second story is similar to the one on the main building, but it doesn't have the round window above it.
