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Ponchartrain Apartments
Pontchartrain Apartments Detroit.jpg
Pontchartrain Apartments, 1985
Location 1350 E. Jefferson,
Detroit, Michigan
Built 1920
Architectural style Classical Revival
Demolished c. 1990
MPS East Jefferson Avenue Residential TR
NRHP reference No. 85002945
Added to NRHP October 9, 1985

The Ponchartrain Apartments was a large apartment building. It was located at 1350 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. This building was also known as the Renaissance Apartments at one point.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This list keeps track of important historical places in the United States. Sadly, the building was torn down later on.

What Did the Ponchartrain Apartments Look Like?

Ponchartrain Apartments Detroit DEMOLISHED
This is now a parking lot where the Ponchartrain Apartments once stood.

The Ponchartrain Apartment building had four stories. It was made of red bricks. The building sat on a strong foundation of limestone.

Limestone was also used for the window sills and the top edges of the walls. A decorative band of limestone ran between the first and second floors. The main entrance had a curved archway. It was decorated with special columns called pilasters. These supported the top part of the doorway.

Fancy decorations like swags (draped fabric designs) and urns (vase-like shapes) were above the entrance. More urns were carved into the stone panels below the windows at each end of the building. Inside, the building had 74 different apartments.

A Look Back: The Building's Story

The Ponchartrain Apartments were built in 1920. It cost about $195,000 to build them. Over the years, the building had several different owners.

Its name also changed a few times. In 1926, it was called the Monticello Apartment Hotel. Then, in 1949, it became the Shorecrest Apartments. Finally, in 1981, it was renamed the Renaissance Apartments.

Even though it was listed as a historic place, the building was later demolished. This means it was torn down.

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