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Wright–Kay Building facts for kids

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Wright–Kay Building
Schwankovsky Temple of Music
SchwankovskyTempleofMusicBuilding, Detroit.jpg
General information
Status Complete
Type Office
Location 1500 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates 42°20′6.5″N 83°2′57″W / 42.335139°N 83.04917°W / 42.335139; -83.04917
Completed 1891
Technical details
Floor count 6
Design and construction
Architect Gordon W. Lloyd

The Wright–Kay Building is a historic building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It was originally known as the Schwankovsky Temple of Music. You can find it at 1500 Woodward Avenue, right where Woodward and John R. Street meet. This building is close to the Lower Woodward Avenue Historic District. It was added to Michigan's Historical Register in 1980.

Building History and Design

The Wright–Kay Building was designed by an architect named Gordon W. Lloyd. It was built for the F. J. Schwankovsky Company. This company sold musical instruments. The building was finished in 1891. It was located on the edge of Detroit's growing Woodward Avenue. This area was between Grand Circus Park and Campus Martius Park.

Changes Over Time

The Schwankovsky Company closed down a few decades after the building opened. From 1920 to 1978, a jewelry company called Wright Kay used the building. Today, the first floor has a clothing store. The second floor has a restaurant. The floors above are used as homes.

Architectural Style and Features

The Wright–Kay Building is built in the Queen Anne style. It also has some Romanesque touches. The outside is made of brick with brownstone decorations. A round tower, called a turret, goes from the second to the fifth floor. The second floor once had a large room for concerts. This building was one of the first in Detroit to have an electric elevator. It was also built with a strong cast iron frame.

Windows and Updates

In 2013, the original wooden windows of the building were replaced. Many of these old windows had the initials "WK" etched into them. They were replaced with new aluminum windows.

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