Maccabees Building

The Maccabees Building is a 15-story Art Deco structure with limestone walls and an ornate entrance featuring a three-story barrel vault arch. Decorative spandrel panels run across the facade, giving the exterior a refined geometric appearance.

Albert Kahn designed this structure in 1927 for the Knights of the Maccabees fraternal group, which later founded an insurance company. The building represents Detroit's economic growth during the prosperous 1920s.

The building once housed WXYZ radio station, which shaped Detroit's media landscape from the 1920s onward. Those who walk through can sense the history of broadcasting that happened within these walls.

Wayne State University operates the building today, using its spaces for administrative offices, academic departments, and a television production studio. Since it remains an active campus facility, some areas may have limited public access depending on university activities.

The building's H-shaped floor plan features a five-story base supporting a nine-story spine that rises 197 feet (60 meters). This unusual structural design was innovative for its era and sets it apart from nearby skyscrapers.

Location: Detroit

Inception: 1927

Architects: Albert Kahn

Architectural style: Art Deco

Floors above the ground: 15

GPS coordinates: 42.35778,-83.06556

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:03