Maccabees Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maccabees Building |
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| General information | |
| Type | office |
| Location | 5057 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
| Completed | 1927 |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 465.9 ft (142.0 m) |
| Roof | 196.9 ft (60.0 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 15 |
| Floor area | 293,000 sq ft (27,220 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Albert Kahn |
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Maccabees Building
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| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Albert Kahn |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003436 |
| Added to NRHP | July 7, 1983 |
The Maccabees Building is a historic building in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. It is also sometimes called Wayne Tower. This important building is located on Woodward Avenue. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Today, Wayne State University owns and uses the building.
Contents
What the Maccabees Building Looks Like
The Maccabees Building has a unique shape. It starts with a five-story base that covers the whole area. Above this base, a nine-story central part rises. This part reaches about 60 meters (197 feet) high. There are also ten-story wings at each corner.
The building's design looks like the letter "H" from the fourth floor up to the tenth. It features Art Deco and Romanesque styles. You can see large arched windows on the first and second floors. The second floor also has special round "rose windows." Windows on the tenth and fourteenth floors are also arched.
The outside of the building is covered with light-colored limestone. The main entrance is set back inside a tall, curved arch. This arch continues inside to form the lobby ceiling.
The Radio Tower on Top
A tall radio broadcast tower sits on top of the central part of the building. This tower was once used by WXYZ radio and television stations. They broadcast popular shows like The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet from here. These shows reached listeners all over North America.
WXYZ moved in 1959. Later, WGPR radio used the tower for its broadcasts. Wayne State University also uses it for some data transmission. The very top of the antenna is about 142 meters (465.9 feet) above the ground.
History of the Maccabees Building
Construction on the Maccabees Building started in 1926. It was finished in 1927. The building was built for a group called the Knights of the Maccabees. This group later started the Royal Maccabees Insurance Company.
The Maccabees organization rented out extra space in the building. There were shops on the ground floor. Offices filled the upper floors. A very important tenant was Detroit's WXYZ radio and television station. They had their offices and studios here before 1959. Famous radio programs were broadcast from this building.
From 1959 to 1987, WDET-FM used the studios and broadcast tower. In the 1950s, the famous entertainer Soupy Sales performed in a studio on the lower level.
Changes in Ownership
In 1960, the Maccabees Insurance Company moved its main office. They went to a new building in Southfield. These newer buildings are sometimes also called the Maccabees Building.
After the Maccabees organization left, the Detroit Public School System (DPS) bought the building in 1960. It became their headquarters until 2002. It was officially called the School Center Building. However, the Maccabees name stayed visible on the outside.
The Maccabees Building was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it is recognized as an important historic site.
In 2002, DPS moved its offices to another building. That same year, Wayne State University bought the Maccabees Building. They needed more space for their growing campus. Today, the building holds university offices and academic departments. It also has communication equipment and some retail shops.
The entire building was updated in 2004 and 2005. The second, third, and fourteenth floors were set up for the Wayne State University Computer Science Department.
On March 25, 2011, Wayne State University and Detroit Public Television announced a new plan. They would work together to run a television production studio in the building. This studio is in the same space WXYZ-TV used to occupy. The space is being upgraded with new equipment. It also provides internships for students studying media arts at the university.
See also
In Spanish: Maccabees Building para niños
