And The Fisher Building....

So my next building is the Fisher Building.  It is probably one of the more distinct buldings in Detroit and since it is set away from the main downtown area, it stands out.  With the GM Building and a few other buildings it is considered as New Center part of Detroit.  So called because it was going to be a hub connecting the downtown area of Detroit to the auto factories in the outlying parts of Detroit.  Some people consider it to be the original edge city (a sub-center remote from but related to the main core).

 The building was designed by Joseph Nathaniel French of Albert Kahn associates and was constructed in 1929.  Originally it was going to be a complex of three buildings with two 30 story buildings flanking a 60 story building but the Great Depression put a damper on that.

 It was named after the Fisher family of Fisher Body Fame after they sold Fisher Body to GM and used the money from that to finance the building.

 The building is considered to be of the Art Deco style.

 The top was orignally covered with golden tiles but those were removed during World War II for fear of being a beacon for enemy bombers. 

 This is a shot of some of the detail on one of the buildings to the side.

 The antenna on top is used by the WJR which operates at 760 on the radio dial.    It is designated as a clear channel which means it is the only station that operates at that frequency east of the Mississippi.  It was cool when it broadcast the Michigan games because I could hear them all the way in Maryland.

 The building is constructed of limestone, granite and several types of marble.  It is considered Detroit's largest art piece.

 From 1965 to 1976, it housed a fine art gallery that dealt with some of the more respected artists of the 20th Century.

 It is also the home to the Fisher Theater which is one of Detroit's oldest venues.   I love the details on the outside of the building.  I think this makes it one of Detroit's cooler buildings.

 A very ornate front entrance.

 The main building is 30 stories tall and stands at 444 feet with the antenna.

 Looking at the arch of the front entrance.

 Details on the ceiling on the inside.

 Looking down the main hallway. 

 Looking down one of the side hallways.  There are a few shops here.

 Looking outside from the main hallway.  This is definately a beautiful building.

Looking up through a tree at an oblique angle.

I'm glad that Detroit has quite a few buildings that are well maintained like this one but in a way it is sad because they contrast to the buildings that are not so well maintained.  But of course, people wouldn't believe this building is in Detroit because their impression is that every building is decayed and the streets are full of potholes.  Oh well.