Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings

The City of Detroit is home to some of the most architecturally significant structures in the United States.  Its collection of historic-age residential, office, hospitality, and academic buildings is unparalleled amongst its peers, and we look forward to honoring their design aesthetic.  As such, the administration has consistently sought to partner with the community in respecting the strength of their original designs, while charting provocative future uses for many of our most memorable edifices.  This has resulted in the continued growth of our built environment, providing much-needed multi-family residential, as well as places for our residents to work, play, and visit.

Our collective interest in adaptive reuse has also led to the rebirth of several long-abandoned structures that dot our City.  This focused approach and intentional direction by developers both local and national, has not led to the addition of new buildings to our environment, but has allowed for us to bring back to life ruins that have plagued our communities for decades.  Said new additions serve to catalyze their surrounding communities, and can be a new beacon of hope as opposed to representations of despair and ruin.

The following represents a collection of historic structures at various scales that have been delivered or are currently under development, showing their conditions before and after rehabilitation.  Continue to watch as the City of Detroit aggressively moves toward a future of design excellence, while respectfully honoring its architectural past.

Antoine Bryant 

Director| Planning & Development | City of Detroit