El Tovar Apartments facts for kids
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El Tovar Apartments
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Location | 320 East Grand Boulevard Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1928 |
| Built by | Jacob P. and Walter F. Sumeracki |
| Architect | Robert J. West |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Art Deco |
| Part of | East Grand Boulevard Historic District (ID99001468) |
| NRHP reference No. | 91000214 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 28, 1991 |
| Designated CP | November 30, 1999 |
The El Tovar Apartments is a historic apartment building located at 320 East Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan. It is part of the East Grand Boulevard Historic District. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 because of its unique design and important history.
El Tovar's Unique Look
The El Tovar Apartments were designed by an architect named Robert J. West. This building is a fantastic example of two cool architectural styles mixed together: Spanish Moorish and Art Deco.
The building is four and a half stories tall and has 73 apartments inside. It's built with bright orange bricks and has fancy decorations made from limestone and orange terra cotta. The roof is covered with beautiful Spanish tiles.
The main entrance is right in the middle of the building. You walk up to it on a sidewalk that has cool carved lion statues on each side. The name "El Tovar" is carved above the entrance. If you look up, you'll see towers that look like minarets (tall, thin towers) sticking out from the roof. There are also arched openings at the corners, chimney-like parts, and decorative wall designs that make it look like an old castle.
Why El Tovar is Important
The El Tovar Apartments were built in 1928. This building shows a big change that was happening in Detroit at the time. The city was growing, and people needed more places to live. Buildings like El Tovar helped change Detroit from a place with mostly small homes to one with more apartment buildings.
In 1988, a group called the Messiah Housing Corporation bought the building. They worked hard to fix up the apartments. In 1992, they opened the apartments for Section 8 housing. This means the apartments became affordable homes for families who needed help with rent. Messiah Housing also owns other nearby apartment buildings, like the Saint Paul Manor Apartments and Kingston Arms Apartments.
See also
In Spanish: El Tovar Apartments para niños
