Since World War II, zoning regulation and private tastes have led to the separation of commercial, industrial and residential districts, but such distinction were not always made. Bagley Street—originally known as Baker—ran from downtown throughout southwest Detroit. It once would have been lined with residential properties, retail outlets and, from place to place, small industrial buildings. The structure you see was used, I believe, by Westinghouse as a warehouse for several decades. Sometime after World War II, there was no longer a commercial or industrial use for this structure. It was among the first downtown buildings to be converted into condos. Indeed, it may have been the first condo conversion in Detroit.
I do not know very much about the history of this building. It was put up in 1920 for the Whitney Holleger Company. It may have been designed for light manufacturing or as a warehouse. It could have been used for either or those purposes or for some other purpose. If someone knows about the Whitney Holleer firm, please let me know. I do not know of any other structures designed by the architects who produced this appealing building.
Architects: Lane, Davenport and Peterson
Date of construction: 1920
Use in 2012: Condominiums
Website for the Corktown Historic District: http://www.corktownhistoric.org/
City of Detroit Designated Historic District: This building is with the Corktown
Historic District listed December 24, 1984.
State of Michigan Registry of Historic Sites: The building is within the Corktown
Historic District.
National Register of Historic Places: This building is within the Corktown Historic
District.
Photograph: April 20, 2012
Description Updated: June, 2012