First National Building

First National Building
General information
Type	Office
Completed	1922
Owner	Bedrock Detroit
Height
Antenna spire	357 ft (109 m)
Roof	341 ft (104 m)
Top floor	336 ft (102 m)
Technical details
Floor count	26
Floor area	843,051 sq ft (78,322.0 m2)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Albert Kahn
First National Building
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	660 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates	42°19′51.7″N 83°2′45.2″W / 42.331028°N 83.045889°W / 42.331028; -83.045889
Part of	Detroit Financial District (ID09001067)
Designated CP	December 14, 2009
References
[1]

The First National Building is a skyscraper and class-A office center in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, within the Detroit Financial District. The building is located across the streets from Cadillac Tower and One Detroit Center, and stands next to the Vinton Building.

Description[edit]

Built between 1921 and 1930,^[2] the building rises 26 stories and includes two basement levels, occupying an entire block along Cadillac Square (adjacent to Campus Martius Park). It is 341 feet (104 m) tall. The structure has an unusual "Z" shape, designed so that most offices would have natural light and ventilation.

The building, designed by Albert Kahn in the Neoclassical architectural style, was constructed primarily with limestone. 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 South East 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.

The first floor of the building houses retail space, while the upper floors were designed as commercial offices. Rock Ventures is a major tenant in the building's commercial offices, with Amrock being a primary tenant on most floors.

Gallery[edit]

• 
  View looking east across Woodward Avenue; the Mabley and Company Buildings and Vinton Building are at the right
• 
  View from Campus Martius
• 
  View from Campus Martius at night

See also[edit]

• List of tallest buildings in Detroit

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Hill, Eric J.; John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3.
• Meyer, Katherine Mattingly and Martin C.P. McElroy with Introduction by W. Hawkins Ferry, Hon A.I.A. (1980). Detroit Architecture A.I.A. Guide Revised Edition. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1651-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Sharoff, Robert (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3270-6.

External links[edit]

• First National Building official site
• First National Building at Emporis.com