Early Skyscrapers in Detroit: The Alphabet Buildings
By Rod Arroyo, FAICP
Detroit has one of the finest collections of early skyscrapers from the early 1900s. I have always been fascinated by the walk up Griswold Street in downtown Detroit, observing one stunning example after another.
In this post, I share my research exploring the history of skyscrapers and the early Detroit skyscrapers. I have prepared several graphics to provide additional information about these buildings and their unique design elements.
The skyscraper era started in Chicago with a revolutionary design by architect William Le Baron Jenney. The 10-story Home Insurance Company Building in Chicago, completed in 1885 and extended by two floors in 1891, marked the beginning of the skyscraper era with its revolutionary cast iron frame skeleton. This innovation spread to major cities across America.
In 1896, Chicago architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler established the standard design pattern for tall office buildings, drawing inspiration from Italian Renaissance architecture. Their design featured:
- Grand entranceway and retail spaces on the first two floors
- Service basement below-ground
- Multiple identical floors above for offices
- Decorative cornice or attic story as a building cap
- Vertical shafts for utilities and circulation
Detroit joined the skyscraper movement with the Hammond Building at 632 Griswold Street, a 10-story structure completed in 1889 and later demolished in 1956.
The oldest surviving skyscraper in Detroit is the Chamber of Commerce Building/Detroit Savings Bank at 1212 Griswold on Capitol Park. Its innovative U-shape design maximized natural light and air circulation for interior spaces.
During the 1910s and 1920s, Detroit’s skyline expanded with buildings featuring various shapes to enhance lighting and ventilation. These distinctive designs resembled letters of the alphabet, earning them the nickname “alphabet buildings.”
Air conditioning technology for skyscrapers wasn’t introduced until 1928 when Willis Carrier developed the first system. However, the Great Depression, beginning in 1929, significantly delayed the widespread adoption of air-conditioned skyscrapers.
The following describes some notable alphabet skyscrapers in Detroit. This is not a comprehensive listing, rather it reflects my favorites in the core downtown district.
