Great Lakes Manor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Great Lakes Manor
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Great Lakes Manor, 2020
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| Location | 457 East Kirby St. Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1925 |
| Built by | Pelavin Brothers |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 100005085 |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 2020 |
Great Lakes Manor, also known as Kirby Manor Apartments, is an apartment building in Detroit, Michigan. You can find it at 457 East Kirby Street. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
Contents
Building History and Importance
Early Days: Kirby Manor Apartments
In 1925, the Pelavin Brothers started building what was then called the Kirby Manor Apartments. The area around the building was mostly a Jewish neighborhood at that time. The Pelavin Brothers were part of this local Jewish community. Many of the first people who lived there were also Jewish. They were mostly middle-class workers. This included people like salespeople, small business owners, bookkeepers, and teachers.
A New Chapter: Great Lakes Manor
Around the same time, the neighborhood began to change. More and more African-American families moved into the area. By 1930, most residents in the building were Jewish. But by 1940, most residents were African-American. In 1936, a company called Great Lakes Land and Investment Company bought the building. This company was connected to Great Lakes Mutual Insurance Company. Great Lakes Mutual was one of the biggest African-American businesses in Michigan.
Supporting Civil Rights
In 1937, the company changed the building's name to Great Lakes Manor. This apartment building was very important for civil rights in Detroit. It offered good homes to the growing African-American middle class. This was a big step forward for equal housing.
Life at the Manor and Renovations
Around 1942, Charles H. Mahoney moved into Great Lakes Manor. He was the president of Great Lakes Mutual. He lived there until the early 1960s. In 1969, Great Lakes Mutual Insurance joined with another company. In 1970, they sold Great Lakes Manor. Over time, the building became empty and needed repairs.
In 1989, the city helped fix up the building. They completely redid the inside. The number of apartments went from 42 down to 30. Then, in 2019 and 2020, the building was fully renovated again. As of 2020, Huron Real Estate Management takes care of the building.
What the Building Looks Like
Great Lakes Manor is a four-and-a-half-story apartment building. It is built in the Classical Revival style. The outside is covered with brownish-red bricks of different colors. It has a flat roof and a raised basement.
Front Design Details
The front of the building has a part that goes back. On each side of this part are sections that stick out. The part that goes back has a stone entrance. This entrance has columns and three steps leading up to it.
There are special brick and stone lines on the building. One line of bricks and a stone band runs above the basement windows. Another stone band is at the level of the fourth-floor windows. Above the fourth-floor windows, bricks stick out a little. All the windows above the basement have stone sills and special brick patterns above them. At the very top, there is a low wall called a parapet. Below this wall, there is another brick line and a stone band. A carved stone panel is in the middle of the parapet wall at the top.
Inside the Building
When you go inside, you enter a small area with a staircase. This staircase leads to hallways on each floor. These hallways run the whole length of the building. Apartments are on both sides of the hallways. There are also stairs at each end of the hallways. All the apartments inside have either one or two bedrooms.
See also
In Spanish: Great Lakes Manor para niños
