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Penobscot Building

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Penobscot Building

Penobscot Building, Office tower in Detroit Financial District, United States.

Description

The Penobscot Building is an office tower in Detroit's Financial District with an H-shaped design that allows natural light to reach interior spaces. Its facade combines limestone cladding with a granite base, and it contains 47 stories plus two basement levels.

History

The building was completed in 1928 and ranked as the eighth tallest structure in the world at that time. It held the title of Michigan's highest building until another skyscraper surpassed it in 1977.

Culture

Native American motifs appear throughout the building's exterior in carved limestone details and sculptural elements created by artist Corrado Parducci. These decorative features give the structure a distinctive visual character that visitors notice when looking at the facade.

Practical

The tower is easy to spot from outside and sits in the heart of the Financial District where it is accessible from nearby streets. Visitors should note that the interior is primarily office space not designed for public tours through the building.

Did you know?

A red orb about 4 meters in diameter sits atop the building and serves as an aviation beacon for aircraft. When it glows at night, it remains visible from considerable distances and makes the structure a notable landmark in the skyline.

Location
Inception
1905
Architects
Donaldson and Meier
Architectural style
Beaux-Arts
Floors above the ground
13
Elevators
5
Height
202.4 m
Part of
Detroit Financial District
Address
131 West Fort Street
GPS coordinates
42.33014,-83.04811
Latest update
December 12, 2025 16:43

AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide. Discover all places nearby (Detroit).

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« Penobscot Building - Office tower in Detroit Financial District, United States » is provided by Around Us (aroundus.com). Images and texts are derived from Wikimedia project under a Creative Commons license. You are allowed to copy, distribute, and modify copies of this page, under the conditions set by the license, as long as this note is clearly visible.

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