Fort Shelby Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Shelby Hotel
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| Location | 525 W. Lafayette Boulevard Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | Garden & Martin Schmidt; Albert Kahn & Assoc. |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Georgian Eclectic, Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003695 |
| Added to NRHP | November 25, 1983 |
The DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Detroit Downtown - Fort Shelby is a tall, historic hotel in Detroit, Michigan. You can find it at 525 West Lafayette Boulevard, right in the heart of downtown. This building is a great example of how old places can be restored and used again.
Contents
History of the Fort Shelby Hotel
Early Days and Success
In 1917, some investors wanted to build a hotel that wouldn't cost too much money. They chose a spot near the Fort Street Union Depot, a busy train station. They hired architects named Schmidt, Garden & Martin from Chicago to design the building.
The hotel opened in 1917 with 10 floors and 450 rooms. It was called the Fort Shelby Hotel. It quickly became very popular! Because it was so successful, the owners decided to make it even bigger.
Growing Taller
In 1926, they started building an expansion. This new part was designed by a famous architect named Albert Kahn. It was much taller, with 27 floors and another 450 rooms. This large addition opened in 1927.
The owners had planned to build a second expansion, but they couldn't. A very difficult time called the Great Depression happened, and it stopped their plans.
Changes Over the Years
In 1951, a company called Albert Pick Hotels bought the building. They changed its name to The Pick-Fort Shelby. During these years, a beautiful painting by Louis Grell was added to the hotel lobby.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, many businesses started choosing newer hotels outside the city. The Pick-Fort Shelby began to have fewer guests. In 1973, the Pick company closed the hotel.
New Owners and Challenges
After closing, three young investors bought the building in 1974. They reopened it as The Shelby Hotel. They tried to make it a hotel and apartment complex for young people. However, this didn't last long, and the hotel closed again.
For many years, only one part of the building stayed open: the Anchor Bar. This was a popular place for workers from the nearby Detroit News and Detroit Free Press newspapers. The bar stayed there until 1994. In 1983, the hotel was recognized as an important historic place and added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Bringing the Hotel Back to Life
In June 2006, work began to prepare the hotel for a big renovation. This included checking the building's structure and removing old materials. A company called MCP & Associates started the main work in the spring of 2007.
At a press conference in June 2007, an architectural firm from Ann Arbor, Hobbs + Black Associates Inc., announced they would lead the design for the renovations. The actual building work was done by L.S. Brinker, a company from Detroit.
The hotel officially reopened on December 15, 2008. It was renamed the DoubleTree Guest Suites by Hilton Detroit Downtown - Fort Shelby. The restored hotel now has 203 guest suites and 56 apartments on the upper floors. It also has a large conference center, which is about 21,000 square feet (1,950 square meters). This center includes two ballrooms and 17 smaller meeting rooms.
See also
- In Spanish: Fort Shelby Hotel para niños
