Garden Court Condos on Jefferson - For Sale?

[nativegirl]

I drove by the Garden Court condos on Jefferson this weekend and noticed a for sale sign. Does anyone know what's going on? How many units they are? The history?

That building's design always fascinated me [[almost a "C" styled building.

[Lowell]

Very classy. Designed by Albert Kahn when Detroit had more money than it could spend, they have a reserved luxury. I have visited there and high ceilings give it a very comfortable grandness.

Description from Curbed.

Unfortunately it appears that this^ one had been modded to add ceiling lighting. Maybe some shag carpeting to finish it off?

[The Nerd]

Maybe Sheneneh finally scared Martin and the other tenants away?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_[[TV_series)

[Honky Tonk]

Um-um Nerd, don't you be goin' there.. I had a friend that lived there in the late 80's-early 90's. They were fantastic apartments, the likes of which I had never seen before. He split one with another guy, and I don't think the two of them ever saw each other. From the curbed photos it looks like they've been spruced up quite a bit from what I remember.

[Neilr]

The Garden Court was designed very much in the manner of a prewar Park Avenue apartment house. The building was to be entered by tenants and their guests through one of the two entrances facing the garden on the west side of the building. Each lobby led to a passenger elevator that serviced just two apartments on each floor. Additionally, there were three sets of service elevators and stairs for staff and tradesmen.


There were only four apartments per floor. The smallest [[if you can call an 8 room apartment small) was in the center of the south wing, facing east and west. Next in size was in the center of the north wing. It had nine rooms. Next largest in size was the north, Jefferson facing, unit with nine rooms. The largest, also with nine rooms, faced south towards the river. While its room count is the same as the Jefferson facing unit, the trapezoidal shape of the building allowed for larger rooms.


The two center apartments have windows facing three directions while the north and south facing apartments have windows facing all four directions. In addition to proving ample light throughout the day, this was an important feature for ventilating apartments before the use of air conditioning.


Every apartment had a small Juliet balcony. The end apartments also had a small balcony off of the bedroom hallway. The balconies for the center units were off the kitchens.


Alas, as times changed and an East Jefferson address lost some of its appeal, most of the apartments were broken into smaller, more rentable units.


To me, the original Garden Court apartments were the equal of those in Indian Village Manor and the Walbri on Covington in Palmer Park.


Sorry for the blurred floor plan. It's the best I can do. I used a black magic marker to show the diving line between to units.

[p69rrh51]

A couple images.

[nativegirl]

Neilr and P69, you two never disappoint me with your wealth of knowledge and pics of some Detroit's greatest gems!!! I always been fascinated by that building but never really looked at it to the point I never realized it had balconies! LOL. I wonder if the new buyer will turn the building into apartments again since the market for apartments versus condos is more advantageous?

[KnnNike]

Does anyone on here have historical info on this building? I live here now [[in J. Harrington Walker's penthouse, actually), and I'm trying to get any and all records available to see what kinds of changes and modifications have been done over the years...old photos, plan sets, you name it.

By and large, I'm struck out. Detroit Historical Society doesn't have anything on the building, and I'm striking out elsewhere. I love the floor plan that @Neilr posted above, I just wish I could find a higher-res copy.

Much of the original splendor is still there, at least in my unit. Here's a picture I took the other day of some of the original plaster ceiling and wood paneling in the living room.

[esighed]

Does anyone on here have historical info on this building? I live here now [[in J. Harrington Walker's penthouse, actually), and I'm trying to get any and all records available to see what kinds of changes and modifications have been done over the years...old photos, plan sets, you name it.

By and large, I'm struck out. Detroit Historical Society doesn't have anything on the building, and I'm striking out elsewhere. I love the floor plan that @Neilr posted above, I just wish I could find a higher-res copy.

Much of the original splendor is still there, at least in my unit. Here's a picture I took the other day of some of the original plaster ceiling and wood paneling in the living room.

You should go to Benjamin Gravel's "Historical Detroit Area Architecture" on Facebook. Many people there will help you in your search for info on this building. They will ask for more photos of your unit....they love these buildings!

[esighed]

From 1915 Detroit Free Press....

[esighed]

Lofty Structure 32 Suites

[esighed]

From Detroit Free Press Feb.21, 1915 "Lofty Structure of 32 Suites Rises on Jefferson Avenue" The Garden Court Apartment. Progress of construction on what will be one of Detroit's largest and finest apartment buildings, the Garden Court, on the southeast corner of Jefferson and Jos. Campau avenues is portrayed in this photograph. The building is 9 stories in height and will contain 32 large suites each of which will have from 5 to 7 bedrooms in addition to living room, dining room, kitchen, and 3 bathrooms. The building is designed by Albert Kahn architect, and Ernest Wilby, associate and is being constructed by the Garden Court Realty Co. Excavation work for the foundation was begun late in August last year. The construction is of steel and reinforced concrete. The exterior walls will be finished in stone brick and terra cotta. All apartments will be on floors above the street level.

[stasu1213]

The sitcom Martin uses the front of the building as it's setting

[Satiricalivory]

What happened to the slight overhang on the balconies? Why were they cut off like that? Bring them back!