Park Avenue Hotel (Detroit)

The Park Avenue Hotel was a hotel in the Cass Corridor of Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.[2] It was also known as Salvation Army Harbor Light Center and is not to be confused with Park Avenue House, also once known as Park Avenue Hotel. The building was imploded on July 11, 2015.[1]

Park Avenue Hotel
Location2643 Park Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates42°20′28″N 83°3′24″W
Built1924 (1924)
ArchitectLouis Kamper
Architectural styleRenaissance
DemolishedJuly 11, 2015 (July 11, 2015)[1]
NRHP reference No.06000586[2]
Added to NRHPJuly 12, 2006

History

The Park Avenue was one of three former hotels located on Park Avenue and designed by Louis Kamper[3] for Lew Tuller;[4] the other two are the Eddystone at 100 Sproat St. (across Sproat from the Park Avenue Hotel) and the Royal Palm at 2305 Park Avenue which now operates as the Park Avenue House. All three were on the National Register of Historic Places, and the city council designated the property a municipal historic district in 2006.[5]

The Park Avenue Hotel was constructed in 1924, and contained 252 rooms. However, Tuller apparently overextended himself financially constructing hotels, and in 1928 lost all three hotels along Park Avenue. The Park Avenue Hotel continued to operate as a residential hotel until 1957 when it was purchased by the Salvation Army and converted into a home for the aged.[6]

However, the surrounding neighborhood steadily declined, and by the 1980s, the Salvation Army was using the hotel as their Harbor Light Center homeless shelter.[7][6] Operations were moved in 2007, and the Salvation Army planned to sell the building to a developer. However, those plans fell through.[7]

The building was acquired by the development arm of Olympia Entertainment and the Detroit Historic District Commission approved its demolition to make room for the loading dock for Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons.[8] It was imploded by Adamo Demolition on July 11, 2015.[1][9]

Description

The Park Avenue Hotel was a rectangular, thirteen story Renaissance Revival steel frame structure, clad with brick, limestone, and terra cotta. Smooth limestone covered the first three floors, forming a base, and buff-colored brick with limestone quoins were used above. There were decorative terra cotta window treatments on the 4th, 12th, and 13th floors, and a decorative terra cotta cornice topped the structure. The main facade exhibited a vast array of windows. The first floor contained the main entrance and storefront windows.[6]

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See also

References
  1. Brand-Williams, Oralandar (July 11, 2015). "Video: Implosion brings down Park Avenue Hotel". The Detroit News. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  3. Eric J. Hill, John Gallagher, American Institute of Architects Detroit Chapter, AIA Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 2002, ISBN 0-8143-3120-3, ISBN 978-0-8143-3120-0, p. 60
  4. Royal Palm Hotel Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine from the state of Michigan
  5. Guillen, Joe (25 April 2015). "Next hurdle for Red Wings arena: Historic demolition". Detroit Free Press. Paul Anger. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  6. Marilyn Florek (February 2005), NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM: Park Avenue Hotel
  7. Robert Snell and Kim Kozlowski, "Salvation Army feels pinch," The Detroit News, December 29, 2007
  8. "Commission OKs historic hotel demolition for Detroit Red Wings hockey arena". Crain's Detroit Business. June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  9. "Detroit OKs demolition permit for Park Avenue Hotel". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
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