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This
view, taken from the Kales Building, shows the Park and
Bagley sides of the hotel. |
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A
similar view from the corner of Woodward and Adams. The
Park and Washington Blvd. sides are visible. Notice how
close the People Mover comes to the hotel. |
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This
is a study of the detail work of the lower floors along
Washington Blvd. The tall third floor windows with the
faded awnings are the private dining rooms while the narrow
windows above are offices of the housekeeping department. |
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This
shot is below the marquee seen previously. The windows
which today are boarded over and covered with movie advertisements
once looked into the Grill and Men's Cafe. |
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A
shot of the main Bagley Ave. entrance with the tall window
of the Ballroom above. Note the odd decor around the door.
In its later years it served as the entrance to Trader
Vic's. |
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Now
we are inside and looking at the main lobby. In 1915 this
shot would include the tall arched windows which looked
out at the park. Today the lobby is a small cramped space
with no windows. |
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This
shot is a 90 degree spin from the previous view. It is
looking down the office lobby towards the elevators. Like
the main lobby, the decor is completely different from
the original. |
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The
check-in desk from the elevators. |
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This
is the Bagley entrance, which is seen from the outside
above. |
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Turning
90 degrees to the left we look down this corridor. This
was the former entrance to the dining room. After the
renovations, as the dangling reeds would suggest, this
lead into Trader Vic's. |
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At
the end of this hall we find these two large ovens. |
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The
main dining room as it exist today. The exotic decor of
Trader Vic's is gone though the form survives. |
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Deeper
into the hotel we come upon these ranges in the kitchen. |
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On
the Washington Blvd. side of the hotel a large, devastated,
room exist. Once home of the Grill, it later became a
retail arcade. Today the arcade walls have collapsed in
a heap of rubble. |
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At
the end of the arcade are the remains of the space occupied
by the old Lounge Bar and Terrace Room. The Lounge Bar,
has the most left. Surviving its conversion into the Surrey
Room was its structural form and an art-deco ceiling fixture.
Both survive in this rubble. |
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The
Terrace Room was split into two restaurants. The ruins
of the Coffee Shop are seen here. |
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The
stone walls and wood ceiling beams of the Beef Barron
have survived 25 years of neglect. |
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One
flight up on the mezzanine the condition is not much better.
This view from the elevators looks towards the Hilton
meeting rooms which occupy the old upper portions of the
lobby. |
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A
portion of the elevator lobby and foyer on the ballroom
floor. This is looking towards Washington Blvd. to be
exact. Note the marble around the stairways and elevators. |
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To
the left is a set of doors which lead to the Ballroom.
Despite extensive damage to the northwest corner much
of the original detail work can be seen. |
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That
surviving detail work includes this plaster panel above
the Washington Blvd. side of the room. |
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Less
of the ceiling survives in the adjoining Wayne Room. It's
vaulted ceiling had been covered with a drop ceiling in
the 60's. |
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In
the center of the hotel the banquet kitchen has decayed
beyond recognition. |
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This
is the corridor down the Washington Blvd. side which leads
to the private dining rooms. |
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This
is one of those private dining rooms, Parlor E to be exact. |
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On
the far end of the hall are the remains of the English
Room. This room was created in 1937 using the wood paneling
removed from the Grill. That wood appears to have been
removed after the hotel closed. |
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Deep
on the second mezzanine we discover the original lobby
railings stacked up in a pile next to some ventilation
equipment. |
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This
is a view down a typical Bagley side corridor. I believe
it to be the 6th floor. |
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The
6th floor elevator lobby. All of the elevator lobbies
have this look but vary in condition. |
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A
corner living room to a suite. |
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This
corner living room belongs to the old manager's quarters
on the 6th floor. |
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A
more modest single room (room 637) with a view of the
light court. |
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A
shot showing how the medicine cabinets opened up to provide
access to the plumbing shafts. |
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A
corridor on the 18th floor. This floor was devoted to
service and included a medical department and file storage. |
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An
interesting sign in the mechanical penthouse advertising
the Hilton Towers. |
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A
shot on the roof showing the seam of the original 1915
structure (right) and the newer 1916 addition (left). |
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The
last view is a glimpse of Comerica Park, then under construction.
I conclude with this shot since it is Comerica Park, along
with Ford Field that might breath new life into the Statler.
This view should explain why. |