McGregor Memorial Conference Center
About this property
The McGregor Memorial Conference Center is a meeting and event facility on the campus of Wayne State University in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, designed by noted American architect Minoru Yamasaki (1912–1986) and completed in 1958. The design marks a shift in style from Yamasaki's earlier International Style work to the New Formalism of his later years. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark for its architectural quality in 2015. The McGregor Memorial Conference Center was funded by the McGregor Fund, as a memorial to Tracy W. and Katherine McGregor who initiated the fund in 1925. The McGregor Fund specified that the building be used as "a community conference center for groups of citizens interested in exploring ways and means of being helpful to others." To that end, Wayne State University hired architect Minoru Yamasaki in August 1955 to design the building. The commission came after Yamasaki's long convalescence and subsequent trip to Japan, and was his first opportunity to put into practice his re-envisionment of architecture. The center was completed in 1958, and opened to immediate accolades from architectural magazines who called it "delightful" and "refreshing," and from the American Institute of Architects who awarded Yamasaki a First Honor Award for the design. Over the next seven years, Yamasaki designed three more buildings for Wayne's campus: the Education Building, Prentis Hall, and DeRoy Auditorium. The McGregor Memorial Conference Center is a two-story symmetrical pavilion covered with travertine marble. It sits on a podium faced with Mankato stone, with integral reflecting pool and sunken garden wrapping around the building on two sides. The building exhibits a triangular design motif on the outside and inside. Inside, a skylit entry hall, dividing the interior space in two, is flanked by two levels of conference rooms. The McGregor Center contains 11 meeting rooms, a 600-seat auditorium, a 2,500 sq ft (230 m2) reception area, and a 3,500 sq ft (330 m2) exhibit space. The conference rooms can be combined to accommodate groups of various sizes. Interior design features white marble floors, red carpeting, and black leather chairs by Mies van der Rohe. National Register of Historic Places listings in Detroit, Michigan
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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.
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Questions about this property
When was McGregor Memorial Conference Center listed on the National Register?
McGregor Memorial Conference Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 2010.
What type of historic resource is McGregor Memorial Conference Center?
McGregor Memorial Conference Center is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is McGregor Memorial Conference Center a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. McGregor Memorial Conference Center has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for McGregor Memorial Conference Center?
The period of significance for McGregor Memorial Conference Center is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near McGregor Memorial Conference Center?
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 McGregor Memorial Conference Center will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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