Detroit Harbor Terminals / Boblo Island Detroit Dock Building

Detroit Harbor Terminals is a ten-story warehouse building on the river that provides 900,000 square feet of storage space with dedicated docks for ships. Its reinforced concrete floors and columns were designed to handle heavy cargo from vessels before distribution by rail.

The building was constructed in 1926 by the Detroit Railway and Harbor Terminals Company to meet the growing storage needs of the city's industrial sector. It arose during a period when the port was central to moving raw materials and finished goods throughout the region.

The building later served families as a departure point to the nearby Boblo Island Amusement Park, becoming a gateway to weekend recreation for the community.

The building is a solidly constructed structure with robust concrete elements, accessible directly from the river and visible from the waterfront promenade. Visitors can view its size and architecture from the nearby walkways along the river or from the streets surrounding the site.

The building was notable for its large painted advertisements for ferry services that were displayed on its walls and visible from far away. When completed, it ranked among the largest structures on the Great Lakes, drawing attention from industrialists across the region.

Location: Detroit

Floors above the ground: 10

Part of: Canada–United States border

Website: http://detroiturbex.com/content/industry/boblo/boblo.html

GPS coordinates: 42.30652,-83.08687

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:45