One of two remaining structures in Detroit that have an entire facade constructed of ornamental metal

Detroit Cornice and Slate Company Building, Detroit Michigan

Date added: November 06, 2023 Categories:

South side and east (main) facade (1974)

Frank A. Hesse and James L. Creswell founded the Detroit Cornice & Slate Company about 1888. Their first location was 22 Clinton, and in 1897 the business moved to 733 St. Antoine. The new shop was designed by architect Harry J. Rill. It was continuously occupied by the Detroit Cornice & Slate Company until 1972 and has remained essentially unaltered. The architectural significance of the building is in its galvanized steel facade which faces St. Antoine Street and partly the alley on the south. This painted metal facade was fabricated inside the shop during construction by the Cornice & Slate Company.

The use of galvanized steel evolved out of the cast iron tradition. The virtues of cast iron construction to simulate stone were extolled in the 1840s by James Bogardus of New York. In addition to structural advantages, Bogardus emphasized cast iron because it was a faster and cheaper way to put up an ornamental building facade. Hawkins Ferry discussed Detroit's application of Bogardus's theories:

In Detroit, where the dearth of stone quarries and skilled stone workers had always been a problem, the economic advantage of substituting iron for cut stone was particularly welcome. This aspect of the contribution of Boagrdus was more appealing than his structural innovations, for in Michigan there was a plentiful supply of brick for the underlying structure of commercial buildings.

The Detroit Cornice & Slate Company Building is one of two remaining commercial structures in Detroit that have an entire facade constructed of hammered and pressed ornamental metal, in this case galvanized steel. The other building, the Parker Block, is now a women's clothing store, B. Siegel Company.

The size and shape of this building significantly portray the type of space that was required for the metal and slate fabrication processes. The building is typical of the many small shops that existed in Detroit before the advent of the large factory buildings that housed mass production assembly line processes. Many of the German metal workers who were employed in this highly skilled craft later worked in the young automobile industry in Detroit. From a large field of roofing competitors, including three in the neighborhood, the Detroit Cornice & Slate Company survived and prospered. Frank Creswell left the partnership in 1913, and in 1915 it was incorporated. The company worked on the Old County Building, St. Mary's Church, Kirk in the Hills, on Senator James Couzens' estate, Wabeek, and the Allied Supermarket warehouse, Chrysler Stamping Plant, and the Bell Telephone Company building.

Building Description

The Detroit Cornice & Slate Company Building is the same today as it was the year it was built, due to its continued use by the same company using the same machinery since 1897. It is a three-story building of brick with a front (St. Antoine) facade of hammered and pressed galvanized steel painted to resemble stone. Most of the many friezes and tympanums were hammered by hand. Originally, on the roof peak, it had a three-foot high, 150-pound zinc eagle with a six-foot wing span, but this was stolen in 1956, causing the only change to the facade since its erection.

The arched brick lintels over the doors and windows on the south and west facades are good examples of this method of construction and craftsmanship. The projecting beam over the delivery doors on the south side of the building indicates the method that was employed for loading heavy material and equipment. A hand-operated pulley elevator is located near these delivery doors. This elevator was used for raising heavy freight to the upper levels. The brick chimneys, which are engaged in the exterior walls, give an indication of the stove locations that were used in the metal fabrication process. At one time the interior contained two stalls for horses; one for Frank Hesse's buggy horse; the other horse pulled the delivery wagon.

The interior is open plan with a brick floor and few partitions on the first level, while above, the offices have the original dark wood paneling with metal ceilings and wall trim. The upper floors, columns, roof, and structure are of wood. The structural system is a brick bearing wall on the north and south walls with a central wood beam, supported by wood columns, running the length of the building.

At the time the firm moved to suburban Ferndale in 1972, the tall bookkeeper's desk and stool, a forge, and some hand tools, once used by the company, were donated to the Detroit Historical Museum while old correspondence and ledgers went to the Burton Historical Collection of the Detroit Public Library. Toby and Maggie Citrin purchased the building and plan to convert the third floor for their apartment and art studio. The first and second floors will become high rental office space.

The entire building is basically in "mint" condition with only some repairing and cleaning needed to offer an excellent example of this rare method of metal and brick construction.