The Guardian Building is a landmark

skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...

in the United States, located at 500 Griswold Street in

Downtown Detroit Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a residential area of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Locally, downtown tends to refer to the 1.4 square mile region bordered by M-10 (Lodge Freeway) to the west, Interstate 75 ( ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, within the

Financial District A financial district is usually a central area in a city where financial services firms such as banks, insurance companies and other related finance corporations have their head offices. In major cities, financial districts are often home to s ...

. The Guardian is a class-A office building owned by

Wayne County, Michigan Wayne County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of 2020, the United States Census placed its population at 1,793,561, making it the 19th-most populous county in the United States. The county seat is Detroit. The coun ...

and serves as its headquarters. Built in 1928 and finished in 1929, the building was originally called the Union Trust Building P. 94. and is a bold example of

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

architecture, including

art moderne Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In industrial design ...

designs.Zacharias, Pat (March 9, 2001)
Guardian Building has long been the crown jewel in Detroit skyline
. Michigan History, ''Detroit News''. Retrieved April 29, 2016. At the top of the Guardian Building's spire is a large

U.S. flag The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the ca ...

, complementing the four smaller flags atop nearby 150 West Jefferson. The building has undergone recent award-winning renovations. It was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

on June 29, 1989, and the associated

Detroit Financial District The Detroit Financial District is a United States historic district in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The district was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 14, 2009, and was announced as the featured listing in the ...

is on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. The Guardian building includes retail and a tourist gift shop.

Architecture

The main frame of the skyscraper rises 36 stories, capped by two asymmetric

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

s, one extending for four additional stories. The roof height of the building is 496 ft (151 m), the top floor is 489 feet (149 m), and the spire reaches 632 ft (192.6 m). Its nickname, ''Cathedral of Finance'', alludes both to the building's resemblance to a cathedral—with its tower over the main entrance and octagonal

apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...

at the opposite end—and to New York City's

Woolworth Building The Woolworth Building is an early skyscraper, early American skyscraper designed by architect Cass Gilbert located at 233 Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was the tallest building in ...

, which had earlier been dubbed the ''Cathedral of Commerce.'' Native American themes are common inside and outside the building.

Wirt C. Rowland Wirt Clinton Rowland (December 1, 1878 – November 30, 1946) was an American architect best known for his work in Detroit, Michigan. Biography Rowland was born December 1, 1878, in Clinton, Michigan, to Clinton Charles and Melissa Ruth Ro ...

, of the Smith, Hinchman & Grylls firm, was the building's architect. The building rises from a granite and stone six story base with two

Corrado Parducci Corrado Giuseppe Parducci (March 10, 1900 – November 22, 1981) was an Italian-American architectural sculptor who was a celebrated artist for his numerous early-20th century works. Early life and education Parducci was born in Buti, Italy, a ...

created sculptures flanking the Griswold Street entrance. The exterior blends

brickwork Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar. Typically, rows of bricks called '' courses'' are laid on top of one another to build up a structure such as a brick wall. Bricks may be differentiated from blocks by s ...

with

tile Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or o ...

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

, and

terra cotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terracotta ...

. Rowland's attention to detail was meticulous. He supervised the creation of the colored brick cladding to achieve the desired color for the exterior. Afterward, the brick was marketed by the manufacturer as "Union Trust Brick" and after 1939, as Guardian brick". Rowland designed furniture for the bank's offices and his attention went as far as designing tableware, linens and waitress uniforms for a restaurant in the building. The building's three story, vaulted lobby is lavishly decorated with Pewabic and Rookwood tile. The semi-circular exterior domes are filled with

Pewabic Pottery Pewabic Pottery is a ceramic studio and school in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 1903, the studio is known for its iridescent glazes, some of which grace notable buildings such as the Shedd Aquarium and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Imma ...

;

Mary Chase Perry Stratton Mary Chase Perry Stratton (March 15, 1867 – April 15, 1961) was an American ceramic artist. She was a co-founder, along with Horace Caulkins, Horace James Caulkins, of Pewabic Pottery, a form of ceramic art used to make architectural tiles. ...

worked closely with the architect in the design of the symbolic decorations.Nolan, Jenny (February 13, 2000
Pewabic tile, Detroit's art treasure
. Michigan History, ''The Detroit News''. Retrieved June 6, 2008. (''See'' Savage, infra.) A

Monel Monel is a group of alloys of nickel (from 52 to 67%) and copper, with small amounts of iron, manganese, carbon, and silicon. Monel is not a cupronickel alloy because it has less than 60% copper. Stronger than pure nickel, Monel alloys are res ...

metal screen divides the lobby from the banking hall on the second floor, the screen features a clock in the center designed by Tiffany. The building includes works by muralist

Ezra Winter Ezra Augustus Winter (March 10, 1886 – April 6, 1949) was a prominent American muralist. Biography Winter was born in Traverse City, Michigan, trained at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in 1908, and the American Academy in Rome in 1914. Wint ...

in the mosaic above the main lobby desk and the mural at the end of the banking hall. The large mosaic is of a pine tree and text that states the Union Trust Company's purpose for the building, "Founded on principles of faith and understating, this building is erected for the purpose of continuing and maintaining the ideals of financial services which promoted the organization of the institution". The mural highlights Michigan's industries such as manufacturing, farming and mining. In order to dampen the sound in the banking hall, its cement-plaster ceiling features a hand-painted canvas ceiling, which was stretched over a mat of horsehair.

Innovations

The Guardian Building featured innovations in both design and technology. The building's designer,

Wirt Rowland Wirt Clinton Rowland (December 1, 1878 – November 30, 1946) was an American architect best known for his work in Detroit, Michigan. Biography Rowland was born December 1, 1878, in Clinton, Michigan, to Clinton Charles and Melissa Ruth Ro ...

, specified

metal in place of the commonly used brass and bronze for all exposed metalwork on the building, an innovation which was widely adopted, most notably on New York's

Chrysler Building The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper on the East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. At , it is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel fra ...

. Rowland dispensed with traditional forms of decoration, using instead colored materials (brick, stone, and

) set in geometric patterns on both the interior and exterior of the structure. The building's elevator system represented the first use of technology which automatically stopped the car level with the floor and opened the doors, tasks formerly handled by the operator. William Edward Kapp, architect for the firm of Smith, Hinchman & Grylls has been credited with interior design work on the Guardian Building.

History

The skyscraper was built by the Union Trust Company, founded in Detroit in 1890 by Senator

James McMillan James (or Jim or Jimmy) McMillan or MacMillan may refer to: Sportspeople * James McMillan (footballer, born c. 1866) (c. 1866–?), played for Sunderland * James McMillan (footballer, born 1869) (1869–1937), played for Scotland,Everton and St ...

, and Dexter M. Ferry, along with investments from

Russell A. Alger Russell Alexander Alger (February 27, 1836 – January 24, 1907) was an American politician and businessman. He served as the 20th Governor of Michigan, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Secretary of War. He was supposedly a distant relation of author H ...

, Col.

Frank J. Hecker Frank J. Hecker (July 6, 1846 - 1927) was an American businessman in the railroad-car manufacturing business. Hecker was from Detroit, Michigan. Early life Frank J. Hecker was born in Freedom, Michigan (in Washtenaw County) on July 6, 1846.

, and

Christian H. Buhl Christian H. Buhl (May 9, 1810 – January 23, 1894) was a businessman and industrialist from Detroit, Michigan. He served as the city's mayor in 1860-61. Biography Christian Henry Buhl was born in Zelienople, Pennsylvania on May 9, 1810. ...

. During World War II, the Guardian Building served as the U.S. Army Command Center for war time production. The Guardian served various tenants as an office building in downtown Detroit. In 1982 it became the headquarters of Michigan Consolidated Gas Company ("MichCon") subsequent to the divestiture of MichCon by ANR Company in 1981. Under the leadership of President and COO Stephen E. Ewing, MichCon restored the lobby and vaulted ceilings on the first floor in 1986. It would stay MichCon's later to be called MCN Energy Group headquarters until the merger of MCN with DTE Energy in 2001. It was sold by DTE to a local real estate developer, the Sterling Group, in 2002. The Sterling Group invested $14 million in the building and reopened the lobby to the public, which had only been accessible to employees after MichCon purchased the building. On July 18, 2007, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase the Guardian Building to relocate its offices from the

Wayne County Building The Wayne County Building is a monumental government structure located at 600 Randolph Street in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It formerly contained the Wayne County administrative offices – now located in the Guardian Building at 500 Griswold ...

. The deal was reportedly part of a larger deal worth $33.5 million in real estate purchases in downtown Detroit.Duggan, Daniel (August 30, 2007)
Guardian Building purchase OK’d
''Crain's Detroit Business''. Retrieved April 29, 2016. The Guardian Building has become a souvenir item along with other Detroit skyscrapers.
Retrieved on July 16, 2009.

Tenants

SmithGroupJJR SmithGroup is an international architectural, engineering and planning firm. Established in Detroit in 1853 by architect Sheldon Smith, SmithGroup is the longest continually operating architecture and engineering firm in the United States that ...

* Wayne County - Departments: Buildings, Commission, Corporation Counsel, Department of Information Technology, Economic Development Corporation, Management & Budget, County Executive, Healthchoice, Health, Veterans Services, Prosecutors & Detectives, Personal/Workforce. Detroit Land Bank Authority, Guardian Cafe, Pure Detroit, Bank of America, Huron Capital, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Downtown Realty, Eagle Security Services, Federal Criminal Attorneys of Michigan, Law Office of Ben Gonek & Joel Sklar, Law Office of Jeffrey Edison, Jacobs & Diemer, Roncelli Construction Services, Attorney Kenneth Sebree, Wade Trim, WSP, Bajoka Law Group, Guardian Store, Green Room, Crazy Gringo, Land Capital Ventures, Law office of Maria Mannarino, Neighborhood Defender Services, Steingold Law Firm,

Gallery

File:GuardianBldgDetroit.jpg, File:Guardian Building with flag - Detroit Michigan.jpg, File:GuardianBuildingCP edit1.jpg, The sculptures of Safety and Security flank the main entrance File:Tiled arch, Guardian Building (8543639760).jpg, File:Union Trust Building-Metal Gates.jpg, File:Detroit December 2015 30 (Guardian Building).jpg, File:Ceiling tile in the lobby of the Guardian building (8542536425).jpg, File:Detroit December 2015 29 (Guardian Building).jpg, File:Lamp, Guardian Building elevator lobby (8542544587).jpg, File:Guardian Building Stair Well.jpg, File:GuardianSkyBridge.png, Pedestrian bridge between the Guardian Building and

One Woodward Avenue One Woodward Avenue, formerly known as the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company Building, is a class-A office skyscraper in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. Located next to the city's Civic Center and Financial District, it overlooks the International ...

References

External links

www.guardianbuilding.com
Official Guardian Building website
*

*
Made in Michigan Blog: "Cathedral of Finance" (Guardian Building)
— ''text and vintage images''. * {{National Register of Historic Places listings in Wayne County, Michigan Art Deco skyscrapers Downtown Detroit County government buildings in Michigan Skyscraper office buildings in Detroit Office buildings completed in 1929 National Historic Landmarks in Metro Detroit National Register of Historic Places in Detroit Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Historic district contributing properties in Michigan 1920s architecture in the United States 1928 sculptures Outdoor sculptures in Michigan Buildings with sculpture by Corrado Parducci Art Deco architecture in Michigan Mayan Revival architecture