Detroit: Fisher Tower

[Allan]

This is my second favorite building in Detroit. It would be my favorite if it was built taller as it was originally supposed to be. Oh well, it's still a great building as it is.

Height: 447 feet (136m)

Floors: 28

Year: 1928

Architect: Albert Kahn

[DevinLee]

Holy Crap, that building is gorgeous!

[bobliocatt]

That's my favorite building in Detroit and that New Center area is place I would like to live in if I ever had to move to Detroit. Is there a museum focusing on the works of Albert Kahn? If not, there needs to be.

[Allan]

Is there a museum focusing on the works of Albert Kahn?

No, there isn't. There should be, but I think most Detroiters don't realize how great the architecture they have is, even if the buildings are now abandoned. Unfortunately 95% of Detroiters see an abandoned building, & think "they need to tear that down." IMO, Detroit is way too willing to destroy old buildings. It currently has the largest collection of art deco era buildings outside of New York, and they are a great asset to the city. I'm hoping that some day the residents of Detroit will see the old buildings as a way to attract people to the city. But until that time, we've got to worry about more demolitions. I know the Detroit public library has some Albert Kahn photos & floorplans. Other than that, the Library of Congress & the National Building Museum probably have most of the other Albert Kahn photos & floorplans.

[turlough]

I like this building this would have to be my third or second favorite building in Detorit

[bobliocatt]

IMO, Detroit is way too willing to destroy old buildings. It currently has the largest collection of art deco era buildings outside of New York, and they are a great asset to the city. I'm hoping that some day the residents of Detroit will see the old buildings as a way to attract people to the city.

I never understood, why the city of Detroit doesn't try to market itself has a historical mecca, similar to the way places like Savannah or Charleston do. I believe that Detroit's historic architectural character is its BEST asset and that it needs to be seriously promoted and marketed if the city really wants to make a comeback.

[Allan]

Detroit's historical architecture is its best asset. Yet Detroiters don't seem to care. The Slater Hotel is the Building to watch now. It will probably be demolished. The city was leaning toward getting it redeveloped, but no developers have taken interest in the property. All the developers say it is too big, which is a bunch of b.s. b/c they are currently renovating the even bigger Book-Cadillac Hotel. The Madison-Lennox Hotel has been saved from the wrecking ball for now, although it may be a threat again in the near future. Mike Illitch wants to turn it into a parking lot - he says there aren't enough parking space near Comerica Park , which is also a bunch of b.s. 40% of land in downtown Detroit is vacant...and he's trying to say that there aren't enough parking lots? give me a break! Also, another possible demolition candidate is the Detroit Building, a small 10 story building near the Fox Theater, also owned by Mike Illitch. Illitch wants to tear it down to make it easier for delivery trucks to acess the loading docks at the back of the Fox, and also to provide more parking for Comerica Park. I really don't understand Illitch's motivations. There is a huge residential boom going on downtown right now. I have yet to figure out why he doesn't renovate all of his buildings & sell them as lofts or rent them as apartments. He could make a lot more money selling condos than charging $5 for parking spaces at Tigers games. He needs to stop letting his buildings rot & renovate them!

[ClevelandNO!]

minor nitpick

Fisher Building

Completed 1929

26 Stories

source: AIA Detroit

[ClevelandNO!]

furthermore, the fisher building as we know it today is at its correct height, your confusion may lie with the fact that it was just the first of three buildigns total.

All three arranged in a line. going:

current fisher building - taller fisher building (empire state bldg height) - current fisher building. I'll see if i can dig up the renderings anywhere, they are really hard to find.

In addition:

Look for The Legacy of Albert Kahn available at most bookstores

[Allan]

So, it's been two months, but I found the original renderings for the Fisher Building that ClevelandNO speaks of. Thery are really quite something. The Fisher Building that was built was just the first of 3 sections that were originally supposed to be built.

Ther Fisher Building as Built:

Here are some of Albert Kahn's sketches for the first section of the Fisher Building:

The Complete Plan:

If the whole project had been completed, the building would've been well over 800 feet tall, making it the tallest building in Detroit.

[tocoto]

Deroit has amazing old buildings. It needs to get people to live and work downtown. This can be tricky expecially since many people think Detroit is dangerous and decaying. In reality, giving tax incentives to developers, business and residents to live and work downtown is one way the city might be able to reverse the trend of demolition. Demolition leads to less tax revenue, and less for the city to work with to reinvent itself.

[Allan]

Detroit is working on getting people downtown. There's only one problem: people don't want to live downtown until there are enough restaurants & stores downtown. Yet at the same time, these stores do not want to move in because there are not enough people living downtown. So it is a vicious cycle. However, as more any more people are begining to discover downtown, the cycle is being broken. More businesses & residents are moving in. Downtown is reaching the critical mass necessary to attract chain stores downtown. As much as I know some people hate chain stores, downtown Detroit needs them to survive. There are several chains thinking about opening stores & restaurants downtown, including Banana Republic. Additionally, downtown just got a new furniture store, an upscale clothing retailer, and a movie theater.

There remains a tremendous potential downtown with the underused and vacant buildings, Even the Guardian Building, one of Detroit's most beautiful buildings is only 14% occupied! The city should takes steps to convert these underused buildings into residences.

There is still the issue of crime to deal with. Crime rates have fallen, but Detroit is still seen as being very dangerous to those outside of the city. I don't have facts to prove it, but I'd say that downtown has one of the lowest crime rates in the entire city.

Momentum is definately starting to pick up. Detroit isn't out of the woods yet...there's a long way to go. But things are getting much better .

[turlough]

WOW i wished they would have built all three sections

[Allan]

WOW i wished they would have built all three sections

Me too. Who's idea was the depression anyway? LOL. It only stopped Detroit from having the tallest building in the world too !!

[turlough]

DANG compaines

[Allan]

The Depression hit Detroit at just the wrong time. We were going though a huge boom. If the depression had happened just 2 or 3 years later the city would be a very different place today.

One interesting thing about the Fisher Building is that it's not in the CBD. So it would've made a huge impact on the area its in. It already towers over everything else, and if it was ever actually finished it would be one of the largest towers not in a CBD anywhere.

[ClevelandNO!]

ummmm......i think the depression hit everyone at the wrong time.

Is there ever a good time for a depression?

[rbdetsport]

ummmm......i think the depression hit everyone at the wrong time.

Is there ever a good time for a depression?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Detroit would have had a subway if the depression would not have happened at the time.