The Metropolitan Building

The Metropolitan Building is a 15 story office building in downtown Detroit. Architects Weston and Ellington designed this structure a Neo-Gothic style, and completed it in 1924-1925.  Most of the buildings tenants comprised of business offices, stores and jewelers. The site was closed in 1977 and has remained abandoned.

Exterior

The Metropolitan sits adjacent to the Wurlitzer building. Brick and granite compose most of the lower levels and the top 5 floors are coated with terra cotta that is shaped into decorative motifs. The buildings center tower on the 15th floor contains the building’s water tank, and vertigo inducing fire escapes which adorn each side of the structure. Decades of neglect have rusted the metal fixtures at the front entrance. A garish awning at the front entrance protects the buildings original sign rendered in Art Noveau lettering .

The Wurlitzer Building

Wurlitzer Building was designed by Robert Finn and built by Otto Misch Co. in 1926. This 14 story building is designed in the Renaissance Revival style. The Wurlitzer is a steel framed structure made of reinforced concrete, terra cotta face, and granite columns. Wurlitzer’s name on the south side of the building could be mistaken for a ghost sign. Closer inspection revealed that the company’s name in black letters and white background were composed of terra cotta blocks.

The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. was founded in 1856 and sold instruments before making pianos. Silent films of the early 1920’s created a demand for an organ that could produce special effects and traditional sounds during movies. After Rudolph Wurlitzer died in 1914 his sons continued the business building jukeboxes. Wurlitzer was well known for their pianos, organs and jukeboxes. In 1940 the building was modernized for more display space. It was abandoned in the late 1970’s and it’s future remains uncertain.

Reference

B01 Archive