Fort Shelby Hotel, Historic skyscraper hotel in Downtown Detroit, United States
Fort Shelby Hotel is a 27-story high-rise with classical revival architecture in downtown Detroit featuring marble finishes, elaborate plasterwork, and a prominent Crystal Ballroom. The building now contains 203 guest rooms, 56 residential apartments, and 21,000 square feet of conference space operating as DoubleTree Suites.
The hotel opened in 1917 with 450 rooms and received a major expansion in 1927 designed by architect Albert Kahn that added another 450 rooms. After decades of decline, the building underwent complete renovation beginning in 2008 and returned to active use.
The Rainbow Room became a gathering place for experimental jazz musicians like Sun Ra during the 1970s when the hotel transformed into a youth-oriented venue. The space reflects this era through its design choices and shows how the character of the location evolved over time.
The building sits at the heart of downtown Detroit with easy access, as several parking options and public transit connections are nearby. The lobby is open to visitors and provides a good first look at the restored interiors and the ornate ground-floor spaces.
The building sat completely vacant for over 30 years before an extensive restoration brought it back to life. This transformation made it a symbol of downtown Detroit's revival and shows how historic structures can be reclaimed and reused.
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