GAR Buidling - Detroit
Grand Army of the Repubic Building - Detroit
I have always been intrigued by this building on West Grand River & Cass in downtown Detroit, so I decided to do a little research...
I found out some facts from the Wikipedia and Forgotten Detroit sites:
Quoted from Forgotten Detroit:
Probably the most unusual building downtown is the triangular "castle" that dominates over Grand River and Cass. Rather then some fairy-tale landmark or defensive fortification the Grand Army of the Republic Building served as the local quarters for an association of Union Civil War veterans.
Intended as a memorial its spacious meeting hall and other facilities served Detroit's citizens for over 80 years.
Today its social rooms and fortress like turrets are inhabited only by armies of pigeons. Closed since 1982 the G.A.R. is a superb candidate for renovation.
Facts from Wikipedia:
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates: 42°20′6.14″N 83°3′19.2″W
Built/Founded: 1897
Architect: Hess,Julius; Raseman,Richard
Architectural style(s): Other, Romanesque
Governing body: Local
Added to NRHP: February 13, 1986
NRHP Reference#: 86000262
Recent developments
The Detroit Free Press reports on April 7, 2007 that the GAR Building has been sold to Olympia Development, an arm of Ilitch Holdings, Inc.. The Ilitch family also owns the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers, as well as the United Artists Theatre Building.
The Free Press also said that the sale price was $220,500. Olympia Development is expected to renovate the building at a cost of $2 million, and use it for its staff.
The purchase of the GAR by the Ilitch family was recinded and the property was then sold to Mindfield USA, a Detroit-based media company (mindfieldusa.com) who plan to renovate the building for use as their headquarters.
Tags: Detroit Grand Army of the Republic Bldg