The Whittier, apartment hotel in Detroit, Michigan
The Whittier is a three-tower complex on Detroit's riverfront built in Renaissance Revival style, with two eight-story towers completed in 1922 and a taller fifteen-story tower finished in 1926. The structure features rusticated limestone bases with red brick sides, Corinthian columns, arched windows, and ornate stone details, while interiors display elegant lobbies with columned ceilings, a historic fountain room, and a ballroom created from an enclosed courtyard.
The Whittier was built in two phases starting in 1922 when the first two towers opened as an apartment-hotel for Detroit's wealthy during the city's growth driven by the automobile industry. The taller tower was added in 1926 by architect Charles N. Agree, bringing the total to around 800 rooms and establishing it as a symbol of the city's prosperity and architectural ambition.
The building takes its name from an American poet and reflects the elegance of the early 1900s when Detroit attracted wealthy visitors and residents. Spaces like the former dining room and ballroom served as gathering places where social events unfolded and the city's upper class mingled.
The building sits about three miles east of downtown Detroit along Burns Avenue with views toward the river and nearby parks, making it accessible to explore from the street. Since portions remain vacant while other sections have undergone renovation, visitors can best appreciate the Renaissance Revival details and proportions by walking around the exterior and observing how the three towers connect.
The building has attracted peregrine falcons that nest on the upper floors of the tower, with local wildlife officials regularly visiting to monitor and band the birds throughout the year. Additionally, sheets reportedly used by the Beatles during their 1964 stay were cut into pieces and glued onto hotel staff-signed papers, creating souvenirs that circulated before interest faded over time.
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