First National Building
Encyclopedia
The First National Building is an skycraper and class-A office center in downtown Detroit, Michigan
. Completed in 1930, the structure rises 25 stories and includes two basement levels, occupying an entire block along Cadillac Square (adjacent to Campus Martius Park
). Located within the Detroit Financial District
, the tower's main uses are for offices and retail
. It was constructed primarily with limestone
. The building was designed by Albert Kahn in the Neoclassical architectural
style. It has an unusual "Z" shape, designed so that most offices would have natural light and ventilation. The building is located across the streets from Cadillac Tower
and Comerica Tower
, and stands next to the Vinton Building
. It is 341 feet (104 m) tall.
Three-story Corinthian columns surround the building at the second floor. The space behind the columns originally housed the main banking hall; however, this space was divided for offices during a renovation. The building also houses a parking garage in the west tower, which is accessible from Bates Street. The original cornice was removed in the late 1970s, and the parapet of the building covered with corrugated aluminum.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Completed in 1930, the structure rises 25 stories and includes two basement levels, occupying an entire block along Cadillac Square (adjacent to Campus Martius Park
Campus Martius Park
Campus Martius Park is a re-established park in downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the fire of 1805, Campus Martius was the focal point of judge Augustus Woodward's plans to rebuild the city. It is where the "point of origin" of Detroit's coordinate system is located...
). Located within the Detroit Financial District
Detroit Financial District
The Detroit Financial District is a 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 National Park Service's weekly list of December 24, 2009.It includes...
, the tower's main uses are for offices and retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
. It was constructed primarily with limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. The building was designed by Albert Kahn in the Neoclassical architectural
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style. It has an unusual "Z" shape, designed so that most offices would have natural light and ventilation. The building is located across the streets from Cadillac Tower
Cadillac Tower
Cadillac Tower is a Beaux Arts skyscraper designed by the architectural firm of Bonnah & Chaffee located at 65 Cadillac Square in downtown Detroit, Michigan, not far from the Renaissance Center. The building's materials include terra cotta and brick. It was built in 1927 as the Barlum Tower and has...
and Comerica Tower
Comerica Tower
One Detroit Center, also known as Comerica Tower at Detroit Center after its tenant, is a skyscraper and class-A office building located downtown which overlooks the Detroit Financial District...
, and stands next to the Vinton Building
Vinton Building
The Vinton Building is a residential high-rise located at 600 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It is located next to the First National Building, and stands across Woodward Avenue from Chase Tower, and across Congress Street from Comerica Tower and the Guardian Building...
. It is 341 feet (104 m) tall.
Three-story Corinthian columns surround the building at the second floor. The space behind the columns originally housed the main banking hall; however, this space was divided for offices during a renovation. The building also houses a parking garage in the west tower, which is accessible from Bates Street. The original cornice was removed in the late 1970s, and the parapet of the building covered with corrugated aluminum.