Detroit, Michigan | 12:17 PM, Thu, Oct 9, 2008 | story@criticaldetroit.org | RSS

8:24 PM on July 18, 2008
By Steve VanBrussel
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Downtown

Coleman A. Young Municpal Center

Coleman A. Young Municpal Centeraddress:
2 Woodward Avenue

data:
Year Built: 1951 - 1954
Architect: Harley, Ellington, & Day
Style: International Style

history:
Formerly known as the City County Building, it was renamed after the death of the former Detroit Mayor. As a composition, it is very similar to the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The center is comprised of an administration tower, the low 14-story building, and a court tower, the 21-story portion.

The building was part of Eliel and Eero Saarinen's vision for a Civic Center. Their vision included a naturalistic park, terraced to the river, surrounded by public buildings. Unfortunately, Saarinen's vision never materialized and the remote location of the City County Building did little to reinforce the development of the Civic Center.

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