Detroit is effectively the dictionary’s definition of Urban Decay and poverty.
Yet images of the fading city somehow evoke emotions of nostalgia and curiosity.
This is the magic of great cities beyond their prime, and the expression of times passage
– as offered by neglect.
Inside that faded skyline is Book Tower, an abandoned skyscraper that was intended to
be Detroit’s greats landmark – only to be ridiculed as an abomination by many.
Although stunted by The great depression of America, and in tatters as a result of the
decline of Detroit
this Rust belt monument aviated the wrecking ball and represents a time when Detroit Michigan
was an icon of the world.
This is the story of Book Tower..
I’m your host Ryan Socash and your watching its history.
CHANNEL INTRO
Let’s start at the Turn of the century when down-town Detroit was blossoming.
Rapidly on ascension to becoming a key American center of business and commerce, enraptures
from long and far flocked to the urban center to get a take in the lively hood.
Being strategically located near natural resources and other markets via railroad or stream boat
there were few places more prosperous.
To the west the Union Pacific, which was founded in 1862, would eventually take freight thousands
of miles to every western corner of the country.
When to the east you had the Erie canal which was completed in 1825 could guarantee shipment
to the east coast but more importantly – beyond America and away to Europe.
Although logistics were far from next day delivery back then – Detroit was a hot spot.
Going back to the Detroit dictionary definition analogy – I could Speculate that in the
year 1900, the definition could have been more like
Detroit Director competitor of Europe in grandeur
and prosperity.
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Skyscrapers and Banks were appearing everywhere between the Detroit River and Grand Circus
Park.
Many of which still stand, and are crucial in understanding the rise of Detroit
The progression of their designs as corporate America took hold says it all.
So, before we have a look at Detroit’s great edifice – Book Tower, let’s have a look
at how the stage was set.
According to Historic Detroit.org,
The Chamber of Commerce Building was built in 1895.
This Building is Detroit's earliest standing skyscraper.
And although it technically stands, it is nearly unrecognizable today after its exterior
was mangled.
Now it is home of the Archdiocese of Detroit as well as 56 apartments
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The state Savings bank building opened in the year of 1900 and was projected by the
legendary New York firm McKim, Mead & White, – a company we have heard about in other
videos on this channel.
Although modest in size, this building represents a dignified Detroit and has survived to modern
day despite having a very close call with demolition.
In 2012 a developer bought the property with the intention of clearing the plot and building
a parking lot.
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Next we have the Penobscot building, which was built in 1905 and is a 13 story Beaux-arts
style complex located in the finical district.
This building is a magnificent example of historic preservation, and a steppingstone
towards Detroit’s preference of skyscrapers.
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However, in 1909 the flamboyance in grandeur and design started to really heat up when
the Ford building was completed – totaling 23 stories in height – with accents of Neo-Classical
Italian marble.
The industry that this design represented would be the making and breaking of Detroit
– but thanks to the indisputable wealth that would follow, many other great towers
would rise.
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In 1912 the dime building appeared on the skyline which was mammoth in size – a proud
neo classical structure which housed the likes of Chrysler House, Dime Savings Bank, and
the bank of the commonwealth.
This building can offer some great context to why developers choose demolition opposed
to renovation.
In 2002 alone a developer spent a whopping $40 million in maintenance – which is just
the tip of the ice berg…
A type of cost not unique to the Dime building – and a pretext for the abandonment of the
next great 20th century skyscraper on our list
Book tower.
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Taking its name from the famous Book brothers of Detroit – who gained their fortune via
inheritance from their maternal grandfather Francis Palms – one of the wealthiest men
in Detroit.
Their concept was epic.
The brothers attempted to revitalize what was then described as the “rundown and ragged”
Washington Boulevard,
into an upscale and fashionable destination – competing with the likes of 5th avenue
in New York City.
They would go on to control about 60% of the frontage on Washington street, but wanted
to make a statement that could not go unnoticed – hence Book Tower, their most special achievement
began.
Architect Louis Kamper was commissioned, envisioning an edifice unlike anything standing – an
ambitious conquest as this was Kamper’s first commercial design.
Construction started in 1916 and was completed in 1926.
The building is 499 ft tall, 38 stories, and with a floor area of 483,973 square feet.
Upon completion it was briefly the tallest building in the city, until surpassed by the
Penobscot building in 1928.
This tower was originally intended to be part of a complex with another 81 floor Book tower
planned at the opposite end of the building.
However, with the hardships of the great depression plans were canceled.
On the ground floor there was space for shops and above it was office space.
The finished building included 12 statues of nude women which appear to be holding up
the buildings cornice,
The priest from the St. Aloysius Catholic Church use to call those statues the wifes
of the 12 apostles.
The U-Shaped design allowed for amble sunlight to reach more offices and that was probably
the one feature everyone agreed was good… you when the building was completed reactions
were a mixed bag
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Architected Kamper was chosen in part because he was receptive to the ideas of J. Burgess
Book Jr. –
Kempter ecstatic about this opportunity because he had journeyed to Europe where he studied
the architectural monuments of the past –
However, in the eyes of many – his lack of experience mixed with the arrogance of
the silver spoon brothers who commissioned the building might have been a dangerous combination.
Resulting in mockery from the very people they were probably looking to impress.
I think an article on Buildings of Detroit describes it best:
Intricately carved Corinthian columns, florets, scrolls, and crests are all over the place.
Horizontal bands of Italian Renaissance ornamentation break up the towering skyscraper with nude
female figures gracing its midsection like a belt.
Nearly from the ground to the top of the 36th floor, the building is covered in detail.
Kamper’s strategy on the Book tower didn’t work.
His decision has been ridiculed and criticized from the onset for not realizing the limitations
on designing a structure so tall.
He didn't take a fire evacuation route into consideration when designing it, necessitating
the addition of the unusual fire escape all the way down the tower.
Kamper chose porous limestone that sucked up the pollutants in the air, making it almost
impossible to keep clean.
In short, Kamper’s vision was a mess.
Detroit Free Press said that Kamper’s designs were dismissed as “clumsy, chaotic, corrupt
and hopelessly out of date.”
Douge McIntosh a Birmingham architect said, “He was a cake decorator”,
“all of his buildings are frothy and decorated to the sort of outrageous level as a cake
decorator would”
In other words, prominent architects considered him to be little more than an imposter – the
equivalent of cheap pop singers who try to mask their lack of talent with autotune and
dancing.
Or if we should really frame it in a modern lens - Think Donald Trump’s Atlantic city..
nuff said?
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Regardless of opinions, Washington Boulevard was a lively for decades in part thanks to
this building.
The streets were bustling, shops were full, and although the people on the real 5th avenue
may have written off the pride of Detroit – the city had its heart here.
That was, until the morning of December 14th 1973 when Book Tower’s luck would begin
to run out.
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Sarah Watson Leisen – a 30-year-old local ended her life by leaping out a 13th floor
window, taking the life of Ryamond Donald who was struck below on his way to work along
with her.
Then a decade later it was discovered that the antennas and satellite relays installed
on top were suspected of exposing those below to a dangerous level of radiation…
although the radiation threat remains inclusive – the equipment became convulsively dangerous
on March 19th 1986 when high winds blew a massive antenna to come crashing below.
As a miracle, no one was hurt - but the incident loosened several 300-pound decorative pieces
on the skyscraper, calling for brutally expensive restoration.
Restoration that no one could afford.
The property owners began to default on their debts.
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By May of 1988 Travelers Insurance Co. a principal mortgage holder of the property took the building
owners to court – over a 4-million-dollar debt – resulting in the forced sale of Book
tower in 1989.
Ultimately the building was acquired by John W. Lambrecht – a well to do investor who
had recently concluded $10 million in renovation on his own building Cadillac Tower.
Not unlike the Book brothers in the 1920’s, this developer wanted to bring Washington
Boulavard back to its prime.
And although the future of the tower started looking up, tragedy struck once again when
Mr. Lambrecht took his own life that very same year.
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Widow Susan Lambrecht took over his estate and invested millions to upgrade and repair
the dyeing giant.
But with a falling occupancy rate, a very creepy reputation of danger and suicides,
the occupancy was falling fast.
By 1992 Book tower was optioned for a trivial 2 million dollars and utility companies were
threatening to cut off service to the building.
To make matters worse, modern buildings like One Detroit Center popped up in 93 – offering
more attractive space in an already struggling market.
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Ms. Lambrecht finally threw in the towel on July the 25th 2006 – selling Book tower
to the Pagan group for an undisclosed sum.
Despite nice press releases and good intentions, the situation continued to spiral out of control.
Even the new owners could keep up with the expenses of Book tower.
By April 2007, unpaid electricity bills resulted in the power being shut off and many of the
few tenants who remains left… and its no wonder, imagine having an office at the top
of a skyscraper without electricity.
Then in 2007 AKNO enterprises took over ownership – only to fall behind on their own power
bill by $87,000 and another 20,000 in water bills.. and soon things went dark.
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Bookies Tavern, a popular tenant had its last call in Book Tower at January the 5th, 2009
at 2.A.M leaving the Skyscraper to be abandoned, with windows bordered up – and the hope
of Detroit – Washington Boulevard on hospice.
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And here we reach a fact that I deeply admire about Detroit Michigan – this city holds
on even after the game was lost.
In 2015 the complex was purchased by yet another owner who has carried out renovation work
which is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
Once complete, the tower will include a first floor of retail space, a hotel, offices, and
apartments.
Much emphasis is still being placed on revitalizing Washington Blvd.
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Finally, I’d like to address the elephant in the room – the astatic of the building
itself.
I’d strongly suggest that the Architectural Elitists who called this building ugly and
compared it to cheap cake decorations so publicly shows a complete lack of humility and sophistication
on their end.
Throughout history, Art of the common people or Piebeian Art, has always enabled real people
a small allusion of being in a social class that would always have been beyond their reach.
Mocking real people, especially when you have the means for the real thing is in very poor
taste.
The art of common people can be ugly, but it lends charm, furthermore – isn’t this
an authentic way that an American Architect would embrace European inspiration?
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So, what happens, when cities side on historic preservation and the integrity of their local
heritage over a new parking lot, shopping mall, or other modern and brightly colored
gimmicks?
Well sometimes we have a legacy to pass onto the next generation…
in other cases, we get abandoned skyscrapers…
or just maybe – we can see a city returned to its prime.
So, at what price do we compromise?
Should we trade our skyscrapers for Trinkets?
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I’d like to end this video with something of a poll, if you think book tower is beautiful
share this video, I’d be curious to see what percentage of the viewers share my opinion
on the matter.
Also, support the channel by subscribing, checking and our series “Tales of Urban
Decay” as well as our daily stories.
This is Ryan Socash signing off!