The Book brothers, J. Burgess, Jr., Herbert, and Frank, grew up in downtown Detroit. They were members of one of the wealthiest families in Detroit. Eventually, they sought to rehabilitate Washington Boulevard into a destination for shopping, dining and more.
The Book Building, a 13-story Italian Renaissance office building designed by Louis Kamper, was constructed in 1917. Like many Detroit buildings of this era, it was shaped like an alphabet letter, in this case “C”, to let in more light and air to the building.
In 1924, the Book-Cadillac Hotel, also designed by Kamper, opened down the street. But there was continued interest in building skyscrapers, and the brothers asked Kamper to design one next to the Book Building.
The 38-story Book Tower opened in 1926. At 475 feet, it was the tallest building in Detroit at the time. Many artisans contributed to the work, including Corrado Parducci.
The building has been on the decline since the 1970s, and it was viewed by many as another abandoned structure. But Bedrock took over control of the building several years ago and work has been ongoing to bring it back to its former glory. It is expected to re-open in 2023. For more information on its history go to https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/book-tower-and-book-building
I recently had an opportunity to tour the building thanks to the Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. I am pleased to share some of the photographs I made.
Photography by Rod Arroyo. All rights reserved.
