In every US city, almost all business and recreation
took place in the central business district until the great suburban movement
following
World War II. Typically, there were one or two major hotels known for their
own opulence and for the elegance of their clientele. In the late 19th century,
the Russell House served that purpose in Detroit, but in 1907, the ten-story
Ponchartrain Hotel, designed by George Mason. opened at the southeast corner
of Cadillac Square. That hotel became the standard of excellence, but had
a short
life span and was demolished just 14 years after it was built.
Ellsworth Statler founded one of the first national chains
of hotels. In Detroit, he decided to build a monumental hotel on Grand
Circus Park.
At that time, Detroit entrepreneurs, led by the Book Brothers, were attempting
to make Washington Boulevard between Michigan and Grand Circus Park a posh
shopping
area to rival Park Avenue in New York. The Statler Hotel, designed by New York
architect George Post, would anchor the Grand Circus Park end of that shopping
street. The 18-story hotel included 800 rooms, each with its own bath and quickly
set a new standard for excellence.
The Statler Hotel became the Detroit Hilton, and after
the suburban movement and the riots of the 1960s, its business plummeted. It
was closed in
1975. Mayor Coleman Young convinced the Republicans to hold their 1980 convention
in Detroit, the convention that nominated California Governor Reagan. To spruce
up the city and make the massive Hilton Hotel look attractive, red awnings
were hung on the empty building. They remained there until 2002.
Detroit's renewal efforts at the end of the 20th century
stressed the city's emergence as an entertainment, recreational and convention
center.
However, a major challenge is the dearth of hotel rooms in downtown. To attract
large conventions, Detroit will need more downtown hotel rooms? Will the gambling
casinos build new hotels with many rooms? There are at least three large empty
hotels in downtown Detroit—the Book
Cadillac, the Fort Shelby and the Statler.
Will any of them be remodeled and once again serve the needs of travelers,
tourists
and business people?
Architect: George Post
Style: Italian Renaissance with Adamesque influences. That is, in the spirit
of the Adams school of architecture, the design of the interior received great
emphasis, almost as much as the design of the exterior.
State of Michigan Registry of Historic Sites: P25278
Date of Completion: 1914
Use in 2002: Vacant
Photo: R. Farley; April, 2002