The Cadillac Tower Spruces Up

[Lowell]

Amid the buzzing downtown construction / renovations I noticed that the Cadillac Tower is improving its awning and surround with a nice gold theme. There also appears to be activity on the second level which is very high ceiling with grand windows - not mention a labor dispute.

Is the Gilbertville upgrading and securing of downtown having a catalytic effect?


[Cadillac Tower is my personal favorite skyscraper.]

[ismoakrack]

Great shots Lowell!

If anyone has any old pics of CT please post. Especially if that really awesome building that looked somewhat similar to CT is the background!

[southen]

it is nice that they are improving it but it looks pretty tacky. the materials arent of the highest quality either.

[Lowell]

If it had a thorough cleaning it would absolutely gleam. I must have been spectacular when it opened.

[401don]

It's really a shame that more owners don't power wash their buildings every decade or so. I think many of us were amazed the difference it made at the Book Caddy, Broderick, etc.

[archfan]

Great shots Lowell!

If anyone has any old pics of CT please post. Especially if that really awesome building that looked somewhat similar to CT is the background!

You're thinking of the Cadillac Square Building, which stood in part of the parking lot next to the CT [[when the CT was known as the Barlum Tower). It was demolished in 1976 for a mall that was never built. You can see pictures of the two buildings together over at Historic Detroit:

http://www.historicdetroit.org/galle...ng-old-photos/

I imagine that series of white buildings was striking in a gritty town like 1920s Detroit.

[detroitbob]

Agreed that the building needs a good power wash. The cheap looking signage, marquee and trim work are not of the caliber of other buildings that have been recently updated or restored. Bedrock has set a high mark for quality work and we will only see more of it on their other buildings making cheap materials like this project used stand out like the proverbial sore thumb.i

[mikeg19]

Damn that looks cheap! I applaud them for wanting to make improvements, but a power wash would go a lot further than some tacky ornamentation.

[Hardhat]

Here's a feature from five years ago about work on the Cadillac Tower's spires. It's kind of nice that the owner didn't ignore or tear out the ornamentation up there, when it would have been easy to do so.
http://www.michiganbuildingtrades.or...-tower-s-crown

[dtowncitylover]

You're thinking of the Cadillac Square Building, which stood in part of the parking lot next to the CT [[when the CT was known as the Barlum Tower). It was demolished in 1976 for a mall that was never built. You can see pictures of the two buildings together over at Historic Detroit:

http://www.historicdetroit.org/galle...ng-old-photos/

I imagine that series of white buildings was striking in a gritty town like 1920s Detroit.

What a terrible tragedy that was. Could have been something today, for sure.

[iheartthed]

it is nice that they are improving it but it looks pretty tacky. the materials arent of the highest quality either.

I agree with this comment.

[mkd]

Lit up, from last night.

[Dbest]

Lit up, from last night.

Looks a heck of a lot better lit-up. It's really "night and day".

I think the lettering is disproportionate or something. They seem really big for the sign in the daytime.

Thanks for posting the pictures guys...

[animatedmartian]

Man, that looks like something out of the 70s.

[Onthe405]

OK, Detroit architectural & history buffs: what's up with this one side of the building having only a few [[obscurely & randomly) placed windows? IMO, totally ruins the aesthetic of an otherwise beautiful structure.

[MSUguy]

That's where the elevator banks are not unusual at all, you see the same with the Broderick Tower, First National Bldg and many of the older buildings downtown

[animatedmartian]

This is pretty common among older buildings. Usually, the windowless side would have the elevators and would face the alleyway or an adjacent building. The most marketable spaces were the ones with views onto the street or open space. Cadillac Tower is actually somewhat unique in that the top floors are not windowless on that side. Usually walls are left blank up the whole height of the building.

[southen]

i think the sign lit up may look worse than it does during the day. it really does look like something out of the 70's.

[Hardhat]

OK, Detroit architectural & history buffs: what's up with this one side of the building having only a few [[obscurely & randomly) placed windows? IMO, totally ruins the aesthetic of an otherwise beautiful structure.

A common question is why the side of the building facing Campus Martius is nothing but a giant brick wall for 35 stories. The answer lies in its fallen former neighbor, the Cadillac Square Building, which stood next door. When the Cadillac Tower opened, there was no point in having windows looking into another structure’s windows. _From HistoricDetroit.org

[ParisianLesion]

A common question is why the side of the building facing Campus Martius is nothing but a giant brick wall for 35 stories. The answer lies in its fallen former neighbor, the Cadillac Square Building, which stood next door. When the Cadillac Tower opened, there was no point in having windows looking into another structure’s windows. _From HistoricDetroit.org

Very true. Equally true is that this is also the side of the building where the elevator shafts are located.

[[oops, guess I'm just repeating what previous posters had stated)