Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building
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Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Detroit Branch Building |
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The original 1927 building is in the foreground, with the annex to the right
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| Location | 160 West Fort Street Detroit, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 42°19′51″N 83°2′56″W / 42.33083°N 83.04889°WCoordinates: 42°19′51″N 83°2′56″W / 42.33083°N 83.04889°W |
| Built | 1927; 1951 (annex) |
| Architect | Graham, Anderson, Probst & White; Smith, Hinchman & Grylls/Minoru Yamasaki |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, International Style |
| Part of | Detroit Financial District (#09001067) |
| NRHP Reference # | 07001491 |
| Added to NRHP | January 29, 2008 |
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building is a bank building located at 160 West Fort Street in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
In 1913 the United States Congress created the Federal Reserve System, which established twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Detroit was included in the Chicago region. Regional banks had the authority to create branch offices, and in 1917 the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago authorized the establishment of a Detroit Branch. In March 1918, the Detroit Branch opened, operating out of three local institutions. However, Detroit operations soon outgrew this operation, and in 1921 a site was chosen for a new building.
This site was within the Detroit Financial District, at a location that had once been part of Fort Shelby. After the fort was demolished, the land associated with it was divided into lots. Hiram Walker purchased several lots and constructed a house there. After Walker's death, the University Club purchased the house, and in 1916 the property was purchased by James Couzens. Couzens sold the land this building is located on to the Federal Reserve in 1921. In 1926, Congress authorized the construction of this building. The Federal Reserve hired the Chicago firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst & White to design it, and construction began in 1927.
The building officially opened in December 1927. However, by the early 1940s, the branch office had outgrown the building's capacity. In 1945, the Federal Reserve purchased lots adjacent to the building, and hired the firm of Smith, Hinchman & Grylls to design an annex. The firm's head designer, Minoru Yamasaki, planned the building. Construction began in 1949, and by 1951, the eight-story glass-and-marble annex, was opened. The Modern annex is clearly designed not to mimic the original building, but to make a statement all its own. After completion of the annex, the original building was gutted and renovated, and the entire complex was opened in 1953.
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