Grand Army of the Republic Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Grand Army of the Republic Building
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 1942 West Grand River Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | 1866 |
| Architect | Julius Hess & Richard Raseman |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000262 |
| Added to NRHP | February 13, 1986 |
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Building is a special old building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It's known for its history and unique design. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, which means it's recognized as an important historical site.
History of the GAR Building
The GAR Building was designed by an architect named Julius Hess. It was built in 1897 at 1942 West Grand River and Cass. The building was made specifically for meetings and activities of the Grand Army of the Republic. This group was made up of soldiers who fought for the Union in the American Civil War.
The total cost to build it was $44,000. The Grand Army of the Republic paid $6,000, and the city of Detroit paid the rest. The building has five floors and a unique design called Richardsonian Romanesque. It sits on a small, triangular piece of land in downtown Detroit.
When it first opened, the GAR Building had 13 shops and a bank on the ground floor. The second and third floors were used for offices. On the fourth floor, there was a small auditorium for events.
As time went on, fewer and fewer members of the Grand Army of the Republic were around. By 1934, they could no longer take care of the building. They gave ownership of the building to the city of Detroit. A women's group called the GAR Memorial Association used the building until 1973.
On February 13, 1986, the GAR building was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. More recently, the city tried to sell the building. However, groups like the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War went to court. They argued that an old agreement from 1898 said the city must keep the building as a memorial to Civil War veterans.
New Life for the Building
In 2007, there were talks about selling the GAR Building to a company called Olympia Development. They planned to spend $2 million to fix it up. But this sale didn't happen.
Later, in 2011, the building was sold to Mindfield USA. This is a media company based in Detroit. They bought the building for $220,000 and immediately started making plans to renovate it. Mindfield USA wanted to use the top two floors for their own offices. They also planned to rent out the ground floor for shops and a restaurant. A special part of their plan was to create a memorial inside the building to honor Civil War veterans. They even shared updates on their progress online.
In February 2015, a restaurant called the Republic Tavern opened in the building. It quickly became very popular! In September 2015, it was named one of OpenTable's Top 100 Best Restaurants For Foodies In America. Then, in March 2016, it was listed on OpenTable's 100 Hottest Restaurants in America. Later, another restaurant called the Parks and Rec Diner also opened in a nearby space.
See also
In Spanish: Grand Army of the Republic Building para niños
