Type office Completed 1925 Roof 173 ft 8 in (52.9 m) Closed 1977 Floors 15 | Construction started 1924 Antenna spire 182 ft 10 in (55.7 m) Height 53 m Opened 1925 Architecture firm Weston and Ellington | |
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Location 33 John R Street
Detroit, Michigan
United States Architectural style Gothic Revival architecture Similar Fort Washington Plaza, 1300 Lafayette East Coo, Penobscot Building Annex, Harmonie Centre, Fyfe Building | ||
The Metropolitan Building is a high-rise office building located on a triangular lot at 33 John R Street in downtown Detroit, Michigan, near Grand Circus Park.
The building was built in 1924 and finished in 1925. It stands at 15 stories and was once occupied by shops, offices, and the facilities of jewelry manufacturers and wholesalers leading it to also be known as the "Jeweler's Building". The manufacture of luminous watch dials in the building left behind several toxic substances that have thwarted redevelopment plans. Architects Weston and Ellington designed it in a Neo-Gothic style. The exterior of the building is faced with brick, granite, and terra cotta.
The Metropolitan Building closed in 1977 and current plans call for development into lofts. In March 2010, the Downtown Development Authority voted to install safety scaffolding and netting on the building to prevent parts of the facade from falling.
In September 2013, the city requested bids for removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials from the building to determine if it should be demolished or restored. The property was offered to Rock Ventures, owned by developer Dan Gilbert, however the company declined to take ownership of the structure. Earlier, Bruce Schwartz of Bedrock Real Estate Services, one of Rock Ventures subsidiaries, said that part of the building could be demolished to construct a public space, lofts and offices. However, he later said the company would be open to restoring the structure.
In March 2015, the Downtown Development Authority approved a $23.2 million renovation plan to create 71 apartments along with commercial and retail space on the bottom two floors.
In May 2016, it was announced that the building will be converted to a hotel, Element Detroit at the Metropolitan Building . The 100,000 square-foot building will be turned into a 110-room extended-stay hotel, with 2,000 square feet of meeting space on the second-floor, 7,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor and lower level, and a roof patio on the 11th floor.