National Register of Historic Places

Architects Building

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Listed
May 3, 1995
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
95000531

About this property

The Architects Building is an office building located at 415 Brainard Street in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. The Architects Building is a seven-story building erected in 1924 by Thomas J. Thompson, a man involved with the hotel and restaurant trade. Thompson hired Richard H. Marr, a well-known Detroit architect, to design the building. Its original purpose was to provide space for all architectural professionals and trades in one building. When the Architects Building opened, 25 firms had space in the building, including Marr and architect Marcus R. Burrowes. However, the Great Depression was hard on the building. In 1933, only three architects remained in the building, and in 1936 Thompson' estate (he had died in 1928) lost the building to foreclosure. After 1940 both Marr and Burrowes moved out, and the building's association with the field of architecture seems to have ended. In 1950, the building was renamed the Contractor's Storage Building, and in 1974, it was purchased by the Salvation Army. In 1985, it was purchased by the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation. The Architects Building is a seven-story Neo-Classical Revival commercial building, built with a reinforced concrete frame, faced with buff brick, and trimmed in stone. It is the tallest building in the immediate vicinity, and despite the sweeping changes elsewhere in the neighborhood, the exterior is in good condition. The first floor lobby, the most significant area within the building, is still in good condition and looks much as it was designed. In 1999, the CCNDC renovated the building and turned it into 27 apartments for low-income residents.

Location

415 Brainard St.
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
42.34668, -83.06182

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Architects Building

This page lists Architects Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Architects Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Cass-Davenport Historic District
Listed
0 mi
Grindley, Robert M. and Matilda (Kitch), House
Industrial
0.1 mi
League of Catholic Women Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
The Clay School
Industrial
0.1 mi
Cass Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Pontiac's War – Battle of Bloody Run July 31 1763
1763Colonial
1.1 mi
Battle of Bloody Run (Pontiac's War, 1763)
1763Colonial
1.2 mi
Surrender of Fort Detroit
1812Early Republic
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Architects Building listed on the National Register?

Architects Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 3, 1995.

What type of historic resource is Architects Building?

Architects Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Architects Building?

The period of significance for Architects Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Architects Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Architects Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Wayne County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Wayne County.

Explore WayneCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Architects Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report