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KDG Architectural Update

Detroit Savings Bank, 1212 Griswold St.

Built in 1895, the twelve-story building stands as the oldest existing high rise building in Detroit and a nationally registered historic building that was once home to Detroit Savings Bank, the Detroit Chamber of Commerce and the United Way. The renovation of 1212 Griswold created 56 residential apartments on the upper floors and newly renovated commercial tenant spaces throughout the lower floors.

The David Stott, 1150 Griswold St.

The David Stott Building is one of Detroit’s most cherished Art Deco towers, hence the full rehabilitation of this gem demanded meticulous coordination and care. KDG led the architectural and historic work on the project, integrating life-safety, accessibility and preservation aspects of this classic skyscraper. The project brought over 100 rental apartments and five floors of commercial space into Capitol Park in the heart of Detroit.

Capitol Park Lofts, 1145 Griswold St.

An early revitalization project in the district, the conversion of 1145 Griswold from obsolete office space into residential units brought 63 apartments into the heart of the Capitol Park. The modernized façade at the lower levels was removed and the entire façade restored. Office space on the second floor was completely renovated and new restaurant space brought new life to the street level.

Capitol Park Lofts Expansion, 1133 Griswold St.

Nestled in the side of the Capitol Park Lofts Building (CPL), this hundred-year-old building was brutally remodeled in the late 1960s from a historic bank into a nearly windowless office building. Obsolete and vacant for decades, the building rotted and caused damage to CPL, which borders it on two sides. Making lemonade from this lemon, the owner of CPL is completely renovating 1133, adding four stories and connecting each story to the existing stories, bringing 25 additional apartments to Capitol Park Lofts as well as office and commercial space on the lower levels.

The Griswold, 1117 Griswold St.

The Griswold opened in 2017 as one of the first major new residential construction projects within Detroit’s Central Business District in decades. The building offers a collection of eighty distinctive residences with panoramic views one block south of Capitol Park and one block west of Campus Martius. This unique five-story development is perched atop a ten-story precast parking garage built eight years prior. The parking garage was designed and built to have a future building on top of it; however, implementing this plan eight years after the garage was completed required ingenious problem solving and careful detailing. Technical prowess aside, this project demonstrates implementation of KDG’s strong design vision for the project. Ribbon windows, panelized wall cladding and simple, ultra-efficient layouts provide a clean, modern contrast with historic building that surround the Griswold.

The Malcomson, 1215 Griswold St.

Renovated to its original 1906 appearance, the nearly 120-year-old building brightens the streetscape with its white glazed brick and expansive storefront glass, and its simple symmetry and Gothic details lend an elegant and slightly whimsical backdrop to the activity in the park. The 2015 adaptive reuse the Malcolmson initiated market-rate housing in the neighborhood while restoring the elegance of a significant, historic keystone property in Capitol Park.

The Farwell, 1249 Griswold St.

Originally a Class A office building in the heart of the city, the Farwell Building had eventually become the exemplification of urban decay. Its transformation is one of the most dramatic and celebrated renewal and repositioning projects in Detroit. Adaptive reuse converted the shattered and shuttered offices into a mixed-use building with commercial spaces at street level, offices on the second floor, apartments on all upper floors and a roof deck with spectacular city views. The extensive work restored the gorgeous atrium and lobby while improving life safety throughout the building and bringing all of the spaces back into service.

28Grand, 28 W. Grand River Ave.

28Grand introduced 218 micro-loft apartments just steps from Capitol Park. The narrow trapezoidal lot offered a potentially low return on investment with little opportunity for on-site parking or market-sized apartments. KDG overcame the site limitations by designing ultra-compact residences, optimizing with modular layouts and specifying precast concrete wall and floor assemblies. The façade design and selection of exterior materials was of critical importance; for approval by the HDC, the design and materials had to be compatible with surrounding historic buildings.

The Albert, 1214 Griswold St.

KDG developed a design which preserved the building’s most important and unique characteristics while creating open floor plan apartments with modern conveniences and stylized flourishes. Kraemer Design Group and ROSSETTI worked collaboratively, with our team designing the residential units and ROSSETTI designing the common areas, all while integrating historic preservation requirements. The revitalized commercial spaces that span the ground level collectively have bought significant foot traffic and vitality to Griswold Street along the park.