Washington Boulevard Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Washington Boulevard Historic District
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Washington Boulevard looking north from Michigan Ave.
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Built | 1901- |
| Architect | Edward H. Bennett Louis Kamper Hamilton Anderson Associates |
| Architectural style | City Beautiful Beaux-Arts Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002914 |
| Added to NRHP | July 15, 1982 |
The Washington Boulevard Historic District is a special area in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It includes many important buildings along Washington Boulevard, between State Street and Clifford Street. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's a place with a lot of history and important architecture.
Some of the famous buildings here are the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, the Book Tower, the Industrial Building, and the Detroit City Apartments. Washington Boulevard is one of Detroit's main streets. It was part of a big plan for the city made by Augustus Woodward way back in 1807. His plan was never fully finished, which is why the boulevard has a sharp curve south of Michigan Avenue.
In the early 1900s, the street was made wider and more beautiful. This project was inspired by the City Beautiful movement, which aimed to make cities more attractive with grand buildings and green spaces. J. Burgess Book Jr. paid for much of this work, and Louis Kamper helped design it. The goal was to make Washington Boulevard look like fancy streets in New York City or Europe. It had a park with sculptures between two one-way streets. This area became a popular shopping spot and a nice place to live. A famous city planner named Edward H. Bennett helped turn Washington Boulevard into a stunning street with Beaux-Arts architecture, a style known for its grand and formal look.
Later, in the late 1970s, Washington Boulevard was changed into a walking area with new sculptures and an outdoor theater. But since then, it has been brought back to its original design.
Exploring the Buildings of Washington Boulevard
Let's take a look at some of the interesting buildings you can find along Washington Boulevard. We'll start from the south end near the Detroit River and head north towards Grand Circus Park.
| Address | Building Name | What it's used for | Year Built | Style |
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| 1 Washington Boulevard | Cobo Center | Convention center | 1960 | Modern |
| 2 Washington Boulevard | Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront | Hotel | 1965 | Modern |
| 250 West Larned | Detroit Fire Department Headquarters | Government (Fire Department) | 1929 | |
| 243 West Congress Street | Marquette Building | Government and commercial offices | 1905 | Chicago school |
| 211 West Fort Street | 211 West Fort Street | Office building | 1963 | Modern |
| 231 West Lafayette Street | Theodore Levin United States Courthouse | Court House | 1934 | Art Deco/Art Moderne |
| 321 West Lafayette Boulevard | Detroit Free Press Building | Newspaper offices | 1924 | Art Deco |
| 1020 Washington Boulevard | Holiday Inn Express Detroit - Downtown | Hotel | 1965 | Modern |
| 305 Michigan Avenue | Gabriel Richard Building | Offices | 1915 | Chicago school |
| 1114 Washington Boulevard | Westin Book Cadillac Hotel | Hotel | 1928 | Neo-Renaissance |
| 234 State Street | Washington Boulevard Building | Apartment building | 1922 | Chicago school |
| 1234 Washington Boulevard | St. Aloysius Catholic Church and Chancery Building | Church and office building | 1924 | Romanesque Revival/Gothic Revival |
| 1265 Washington Boulevard | Book Tower | Offices | 1926 | Academic classicism |
| 35 West Grand River Avenue | Clark Tower Lofts | Apartment building | 1922 | Chicago school |
| 1410 Washington Boulevard | Industrial Building | Apartments | 1929 | Art Deco/Art Moderne |
| 1420 Washington Boulevard | Julian C. Madison Building | Offices | 1906 | Chicago school |
| 1431 Washington Boulevard | Detroit City Apartments | Apartment building with parking | 1981 | Modern |
| 1514 Washington Boulevard | Claridge Apartments | Apartment building | 1906 | Modern |
| 1545 Woodward Avenue | Himelhoch Apartments | Apartment building | 1901 | Neo-Renaissance |
| 1539 Washington Boulevard | Detroit Statler Hotel | Hotel (now gone) | 1915 | Georgian architecture |
| 1553 Woodward Avenue | David Whitney Building | Office tower | 1915 | Neo-Renaissance |
Gallery
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Washington Blvd. looking south from Clifford Street
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St. Aloysius Church and Chancery on Washington Blvd.
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Himelhoch building
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View from Grand Circus Park
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The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel is part of the historic district
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Industrial-Stevens Apartments, another 1920s-era building
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Augustus Woodward's plan for Detroit's streets after the 1805 fire
See also
In Spanish: Distrito Histórico del Bulevard Washington para niños
