The Charles Apartments and First Unitarian Church.

**Designerguy24** · May-02-13, 11:32 AM

I am doing a project for my humanities class in school and need some help on these two buildings. Does anyone know anything about the both of these buildings such as architecture styles, key architectural features, and who designed them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.[IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/71288712@N00/2569135768/lightbox/[/IMG Name: DSCN0305.jpg
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**Bham1982** · May-02-13, 11:37 AM

First Unitarian Church has a very cool interior [[yes, I realize that doesn't help answer your questions for class). I always check out the performances in the church during Noel Night.

Looks nothing like a "normal" church, though. Looks like a performance space. Also appears to be in great condition.

**p69rrh51** · May-02-13, 11:50 AM

First Uniterian was designed by Donaldson & Meier in 1890. Detroit1701.org has a good short history on the church and if I remember there is info also in Hawkins Ferry's Buildings of Detroit. The Charles Apartments were designed by Pollmar & Ropes in 1908.

The Charles is contained in this final report.

http://www.detroitmi.gov/LinkClick.a...=3096&mid=4357

**Kathleen** · May-02-13, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

First Unitarian Church has a very cool interior [[yes, I realize that doesn't help answer your questions for class). I always check out the performances in the church during Noel Night.

Looks nothing like a "normal" church, though. Looks like a performance space. Also appears to be in great condition.

You are thinking of the First Unitarian-Universalist Church of
Detroit on Cass.

This Unitarian church is on Woodward at Edmund and has been empty for a few years at least.

**p69rrh51** · May-02-13, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

You are thinking of the First Unitarian-Universalist Church of
Detroit on Cass.

This Unitarian church is on Woodward at Edmund and has been empty for a few years at least.

http://www.detroitmi.gov/LinkClick.a...=3096&mid=4357

**Bham1982** · May-02-13, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

You are thinking of the First Unitarian-Universalist Church of
Detroit on Cass.

This Unitarian church is on Woodward at Edmund and has been empty for a few years at least.

Oops, my mistake. I had no idea there were two Unitarian churches in Midtown.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · May-02-13, 12:20 PM

The Detroit Unitarian and Universalist churches have an interesting history. They actually formed what I believe is the first Unitarian-Universalist congregation in 1934. It wasn't until the 1960's that the two denominations themselves merged to form the Unitarian Universalist Association http://1stuu.org/history/pamphlet.html I am a member of First Unitarian Church of Oakland [[CA) but I have attended First UU in Detroit while visiting.

**Honky Tonk** · May-02-13, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Oops, my mistake. I had no idea there were two Unitarian churches in Midtown.

A LOT of Unitarians are moving into Midtown.

**p69rrh51** · May-02-13, 03:04 PM

One of my customers is Lucy Hamilton's son. I lost the hard bound version of her book Discovering Stained Glass in Detroit in a move a few years ago. He showed up today with a copy. A little background on a couple of the stained glass windows at First Unitarian.

**andrew.w** · May-02-13, 08:03 PM

I don't know much about the church other than the short, squared off tower facing Woodward was once rounded. You can find this in historic photographs. It was cut off during the widening of Woodward in the late 1920s/early 1930s.