Park Avenue Hotel (Detroit) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Park Avenue Hotel
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 2643 Park Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | Louis Kamper |
| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| Demolished | July 11, 2015 |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000586 |
| Added to NRHP | July 12, 2006 |
The Park Avenue Hotel was a well-known building in Detroit, Michigan. It started as a hotel and later became a shelter. This building was officially recognized as a historic place in 2006. Sadly, it was torn down on July 11, 2015. It's important not to confuse it with another building called the Park Avenue House.
Contents
The Park Avenue Hotel's Story
The Park Avenue Hotel was one of three hotels built on Park Avenue. A famous architect named Louis Kamper designed all three. He built them for a person named Lew Tuller. The other two hotels were the Eddystone Building and the Park Avenue House (originally called the Royal Palm). All three of these buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2006, the Detroit City Council also made the Park Avenue Hotel a special historic district.
Construction and Early Years
The Park Avenue Hotel was finished in 1924. It had 252 rooms for guests. However, Lew Tuller, who owned the hotels, built too many buildings. He ended up losing all three of his hotels on Park Avenue in 1928. The Park Avenue Hotel kept operating as a place where people could live for a long time.
Becoming a Shelter
In 1957, The Salvation Army bought the hotel. They changed it into a home for older people. As time passed, the area around the hotel became less safe. By the 1980s, the Salvation Army was using the building as a homeless shelter. They called it the Harbor Light Center.
In 2007, the Salvation Army moved their operations to a new location. They planned to sell the old hotel building. But these plans did not work out.
Demolition for a New Arena
Later, a company called Olympia Entertainment bought the building. They wanted to tear it down. This was to make space for a loading dock for the new Little Caesars Arena. This arena is where the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons play their games.
The Detroit Historic District Commission agreed to the demolition. On July 11, 2015, the Park Avenue Hotel was torn down using a method called implosion. This is when a building is carefully brought down using explosives.
What the Hotel Looked Like
The Park Avenue Hotel was a tall, rectangular building. It had thirteen stories. It was built in a style called Renaissance Revival. The outside was covered with brick, limestone, and terra cotta.
The first three floors had smooth limestone, forming a strong base. Above that, the building had light-colored brick with limestone corners. The 4th, 12th, and 13th floors had fancy terra cotta decorations around the windows. A decorative terra cotta border topped the entire building. The front of the hotel had many windows. The main entrance and shop windows were on the first floor.
See also
In Spanish: Park Avenue Hotel para niños
