George W. Loomer House

The George W. Loomer House is a single-family residence built in Richardsonian Romanesque style at 71 West Hancock Street, featuring a two-story turret with a conical roof and a rounded arched porch. The exterior displays intricate masonry work with decorative stone details characteristic of this architectural approach.

Designed in 1888 by architect Almon C. Varney for lumber merchant George W. Loomer, the house emerged during Detroit's rapid growth as a commercial and industrial center. Its construction reflected the prosperity that trade and manufacturing brought to the region during this era.

The house reflects how prosperous merchants lived in Detroit during the late 1800s, displaying their success through elaborate architecture and craftsmanship. The neighborhood was home to business owners and industrialists who used their residences as symbols of their standing in the growing city.

The building today functions as a multi-unit apartment complex, with residences primarily occupied by Wayne State University students and faculty members. Its location on West Hancock Street provides convenient access to the university campus and surrounding neighborhood amenities.

One of the apartments contains a rare casket window, an unusual architectural feature from this period that reflects both practical and symbolic design choices. This window demonstrates how builders incorporated distinctive details that served specific purposes within the home's layout.