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Detroit, Michigan, is best known as America's motor-city. But, it's also known for Motown,
the musical sound that began here and gave the world artists like Diana Ross, the Jackson Five,
Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and many others.
Detroit lies on the Detroit River and across that river is Canada.
Skyscraper wise the city isn't america's most prolific. The city has a few newer buildings,
built in the last three decades, but a lot of the high-rises are pre-World War II,
when Detroit was booming and among America's most attractive cities.
The last four decades of the 20th Century weren't kind to the city though. Racial conflicts, crime,
unemployment, poverty, made many people leave the downtown area, and even the greater Detroit area,
for other and better places to live in the US.
Many of the just mentioned older high-rises have been abandoned and are awaiting
either demolition or renovation. Others have already been demolished.
Fortunately, the city council of Detroit has understood that something had to be done
to get Detroit back on its feet again and is putting a lot of effort
in making the city attractive for people to live in again.
So, in the last 15 years, the city has been doing a lot of renovation, crime fighting,
and much more, in order to get Detroit back where it was many years ago.
At the moment, just under a million people live in Detroit, with another 3-4 million
in the suburbs.


Above left: one of Detroit's most famous landmarks,
the statue 'The Spirit of Detroit' at night,
with in the background Renaissance Center.
Above right: downtown Detroit.



Above: General Motors Renaissance Center.
The complex consists of the 221m/727f tall Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center tower (73 stories, 1977)
and four smaller towers called Renaissance Center 100, 200, 300 and 400 (all: 159m/522f, 39 stories, 1977).
In 1981, two identical 21-story towers were added to the Renaissance Center,
called Renaissance Center 500 and 600 (103m/339f).
The Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center tower
is the tallest hotel of the United States and has 1,300 guest rooms.
The buildings were designed by John Portman and Associates.


Above: Detroit's second tallest: Comerica Tower (189m/619f, 43 stories, 1993),
as it was known when the pictures were taken (April 2001).
The building is also known as One Detroit Center.
It's the corporate headquarters of the Comerica Bank.




Above: this was Detroit's tallest for nearly half a century (1928-1977):
Penobscot Building (172m/565f (with spire: 199m/654f), 47 stories, 1928).
When completed in 1928, it was the 8th tallest building in the world.


Above: pictures of the Guardian Building (151m/496f, 40 stories, 1929).


Above left and middle left: 150 West Jefferson a.k.a. Madden Building (139m/455f, 26 stories, 1989).
Including the flag on top, the building is 143m/470f tall.
Above middle right: One Woodward Avenue and Comerica Tower at night.
Above middle and right: One Woodward Avenue (131m/430f, 28 stories, 1963).


Above left: Book Tower (145m/475f, 38 stories, 1926).
It was Detroit's tallest for two years (1926-1928).
On the second picture, the original Book Building can be seen, next to it.
This building has 13 stories and was built in 1916.
Both the Book Tower and Book Building are currently undergoing renovation.
They both will be turned into residential condominiums, with office floors in the Book Tower,
and retail space on the ground floor of both buildings.
Above middle right: Cadillac Tower (133m/438f, 40 stories, 1927).
Above right: Cadillac Tower, with the New Cadillac Square Apartments in front
(21 stories, 1927; no height available).


Above left: McNamara Federal Building (120m/393f, 27 stories, 1976).
Above middle: First Federal Building (103m/338f, 23 stories, 1965).
(these days the building is known as 1001 Woodward).
Part of the building (floors 13-21) underwent renovation in 2006,
and was turned into 72 residential loft condominiums (Residences of 1001 Woodward).
Above right: Sheraton Detroit Pontchartrain Hotel (75m/245f, 25 stories, 1965).


Above left: Broderick Tower Lofts (113m/369f, 35 stories, 1928).
When completed it was the 2nd tallest building of Michigan and Detroit.
This building - originally called Eaton Tower - stood empty for many years.
At the end of 2005, pre-renovation works began and the building is currently being renovated.
The top 28 floors will house residential apartments, while the lower ones
will be in use as offices, and retail space.
Above middle left: Water Board Building (79m/259f, 23 stories, 1928).
Above middle right: Westin Book-Cadillac Detroit (106m/349f, 29 stories, 1924).
This building stood vacant for many years as well (since 1984),
and is currently also undergoing renovation.
In 2008, the building must have been turned into a 455-room Westin hotel,
with 67 luxury condominiums on the top nine floors.
Above right: David Whitney Building (83m/272f, 19 stories, 1916).
It's one of (still a few) buildings that are vacant and not in use at the moment.


Above left: Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Center (97m/318f, 22 stories, 1971).
Above middle left: 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative (93m/305f, 29 stories, 1961).
Above middle right: Renaissance Center Towers 500 and 600 (103m/339f, 21 stories, 1981).
Above right: Millender Center Apartments (101m/332f, 33 stories, 1985).
The tallest all-residential building in Detroit.


Above: the spirit of Detroit and Renaissance Center during the day.


Ever since the pictures on these pages were taken, April 2001,
not much has changed skyscraper wise in Detroit.
A few buildings have been renovated, or are undergoing renovation at the moment,
but there has been no tall (taller than 75m/250f) addition to the skyline of the Motor-City.
This will change in the next couple of years, though.
Currently under construction is the 105m/344f, 30 stories tall Greektown Casino Hotel,
which should be completed in 2008, and the MotorCity Casino Hotel
(83m/273f, 17 stories), which should be completed in 2007.
(Patrick Beckers, January 2007).



Detroit's 10 tallest skyscrapers:
1. MARRIOTT RENAISSANCE CENTER 221m/727f, 70 stories, 1977
2. COMERICO TOWER 189m/619f, 43 stories, 1993
3. PENOBSCOT BUILDING 172m/565f, 47 stories, 1928
4. RENAISSANCE CENTER 100 159m/522f, 39 stories, 1977
5. RENAISSANCE CENTER 200 159m/522f, 39 stories, 1977
6. RENAISSANCE CENTER 300 159m/522f, 39 stories, 1977
7. RENAISSANCE CENTER 400 159m/522f, 39 stories, 1977
8. GUARDIAN BUILDING 151m/496f, 40 stories, 1929
9. BOOK TOWER 145m/475f, 38 stories, 1926
10. 150 WEST JEFFERSON 139m/455f, 26 stories, 1989

The building data, the top 10 of tallest buildings and some of the building information are courtesy of
EMPORIS.COM, one of the world's leading architectural resources on tall buildings.

All pictures copyright (c) 2001 Patrick Beckers. All Rights Reserved.
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