Willis-Selden Historic District

Willis-Selden Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Cass Avenue, north of Alexandrine
Location:	Detroit, Michigan  United States
Coordinates:	42°20′57″N 83°3′52″W / 42.34917°N 83.06444°W / 42.34917; -83.06444Coordinates: 42°20′57″N 83°3′52″W / 42.34917°N 83.06444°W / 42.34917; -83.06444
Built:	1870
Architect:	multiple
Architectural style:	Colonial Revival, Beaux Arts, Early Commercial
Governing body:	State
MPS:	Cass Farm MPS
NRHP Reference#:	97001478[1]
Added to NRHP:	December 01, 1997

The Willis-Selden Historic District is a historic district located in Detroit, Michigan, consisting of three streets: Willis, Alexandrine, and Selden, Running from Woodward Avenue on the east to Third Avenue on the west. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.^[1]

[edit] History

Selden Street between Second and Third. Taken from in front of the Coronado Apartments.

Willis Overland Lofts, on Willis looking east.

The land forming the Willis-Selden Historic District was originally the Park Lots, the Cass Farm, and the Jones/Crane Farm.^[2] These parcels were subdivided in the late 1800s. Due in part to the growth of Detroit during the 1860s and generous lot sizes, the Willis-Selden District became a popular area for development, particularly for the relatively wealthy professional class.^[2]

In the early twentieth century, the district became home to auto industry suppliers, once again due to its location and large lots.^[2] Forty-one percent of commercial buildings in the district built between 1910 and 1930 were auto-related.^[2] In addition, large, high-density apartments were constructed to meet the demands of the huge influx of auto workers into Detroit. However, the Great Depression had a marked impact on the industry and on the Willis-Selden Historic District, sending it into decline.^[2]

[edit] Buildings

Of the buildings located within the district, a number a historically significant in their own right. These include:

• Detroit-Columbia Central Office Building (52 Selden)
• Cass Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (3901 Cass Avenue, at Selden)
• Coronado Apartments (3751-73 Second Avenue, at Selden)
• Stuber-Stone Building (4221-4229 Cass Avenue, at Willis)
• Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station (50 W. Willis)

[edit] References

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v t e Architecture of metropolitan Detroit Skyscrapers 10 tallest Renaissance Center One Detroit Center Penobscot RenCen Towers 100-400 Guardian Book Tower 150 West Jefferson 20 tallest Fisher Cadillac Tower Stott One Woodward Avenue McNamara Federal DTE Energy Broderick 211 West Fort Buhl Westin Book Cadillac Hotel Greektown Casino Hotel 30 tallest First National Cadillac Centre RenCen Towers 500-600 1001 Woodward Millender Center AT&T Chrysler House Jeffersonian Blue Cross Blue Shield Coleman A. Young Municipal Center 40 tallest Penobscot Annex Lafayette East Riverfront Tower 300 Riverfront Tower 200 Whitney Washington Square Riverfront Tower 100 Water Board Washington Boulevard 50 tallest Riverside Hotel Fort Shelby Hotel Industrial-Stevens Courtyard by Marriott Ford Leland Fyfe Grand Park Centre Compuware United Artists Theatre Michigan Central Station Cadillac Place 60 tallest MGM Grand Detroit MotorCity Casino Hotel The Qube Maccabees Fort Washington Plaza One Kennedy Square Detroit Free Press Metropolitan Wardell 70 – 195 tallest Kales Masonic Temple Michigan Building Vinton Bellcrest Park Avenue House Harvard Square Fox Theatre Detroit Building The Penobscot (1905) Marquette Griswold Building Lawyers Building 1212 Griswold Levin United States Courthouse New Center Fisher Cadillac Place Argonaut Building Henry Ford Hospital New Center Building East side Lafayette Park Jeffersonian Detroit Towers The Kean The Whittier Harbortown Apartments Suburban Southfield Town Center American Center Top of Troy Tower Plaza Adoba Hotel Parklane Towers Chrysler Headquarters Low rise under 10 stories selected Downtown 411 Bankers Trust Cass Building Detroit Athletic Club Detroit Club Detroit Cornice and Slate Fillmore Harmonie Centre Harmonie Club L. B. King Opera House Music Hall Merchants Wayne County Building Wright-Kay Savoyard Centre Midtown Orchestra Hall Metropolitan Center Phoenix Group Old Main Rackham Building McGregor Memorial Conference Center Verona Wayne State University Buildings Clay Office North University of Detroit Mercy Detroit Golf Club East side Alden Park Towers Brewery Park Coronado El Tovar Garden Court Milner Arms Riverwalk Hotel Pasadena Suburban Country Club of Detroit The Dearborn Inn GM Technical Center Royal Park Hotel Inn at St. John's Townsend Hotel Parks and gardens Belle Isle Cranbrook Campus Martius Grand Circus Metroparks Matthaei Botanical Gardens Riverfront parks Detroit Zoo Museums and libraries Detroit Institute of Arts Detroit Public Library Museum of African American History Science Center Historical Museum Cranbrook The Henry Ford Meadowbrook Hall Fair Lane Edsel and Eleanor Ford House Pewabic Pottery Southfield Public Library University of Michigan Museum of Art Religious landmarks Religious landmarks Performance centers Theatres and performing arts venues Neighborhood Historic Districts Residential Arden Park-East Boston Atkinson Avenue Beverly Road Boston-Edison Brush Park Canton Township MPS Corktown East Ferry East Grand Boulevard East Jefferson Avenue Grosse Pointe Highland Heights-Stevens' Sub. Indian Village Layafette Park Northville Palmer Park Apartments Palmer Woods Park Avenue Rosedale Gardens Rosedale Park Sherwood Forest Virginia Park Warren-Prentis West Canfield West Village Willis-Seldon Woodbridge Woodward East (See also: Historic homes) Mixed-use Adams Street Broadway Ave. Capitol Park Cass Park Cass-Davenport Congress Street Cultural Center Eastern Market Eastside Cemetery Financial District Grand Boulevard Grand Circus Grand River Avenue Gratiot Avenue Griswold Street Greektown West Jefferson Avenue Jefferson Chalmers Larned Street Michigan Avenue Monroe Avenue New Amsterdam New Center Piquette Ave Randolph Street Shelby Street State Street Sugar Hill University-Cultural Center Washington Boulevard Wayne State University West Vernor-Junction West Vernor-Lawndale West Vernor-Springwells Lower Woodward Midtown Woodward Woodward Avenue See also: List of tallest buildings in Detroit