Wright-Kay Building

The Wright-Kay Building stands six stories tall at the corner of Woodward and John R Street with a prominent corner turret. Its facade combines brick and brownstone details, while the ground floor houses a clothing store, with a restaurant and residential units occupying the upper levels.

Gordon W. Lloyd designed the structure in 1891 for F.J. Schwankovsky Company as one of the first high-rise buildings on Woodward Avenue. This early project helped establish the downtown area as a place for vertical growth and commercial expansion.

The name comes from Wright Kay Jewelry Company, which operated here from 1920 to 1978 selling fine silver and jewelry pieces. You can still sense this retail heritage on the ground floor, where shops continue the tradition of street-level commerce.

The building sits on a main thoroughfare that is easy to reach from downtown. Keep in mind that residential access is private, but the street-level and lower floors with shops and dining are open to visitors.

The structure was innovative for its time, using advanced cast-iron construction methods that ensured durability. Notably, it housed one of Detroit's first electric elevators when it opened in 1891, a remarkable feature for that era.

Location: Michigan

Inception: 1891

Architects: Gordon W. Lloyd, SmithGroup

Floors above the ground: 6

GPS coordinates: 42.33510,-83.04920

Latest update: December 14, 2025 15:01