Editing Penobscot Building

{{Short description|Skyscraper in Detroit}}
{{About|the 47-story tower in [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]|the original building|Penobscot Building (1905)|other uses|Penobscot (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox building
| name               =Penobscot Building
| image              = PenobscotBldgDetroitsunsetting.jpg
| caption       = Penobscot Building seen from Campus Martius Park in 2007
| image_size         = 250px
| alternate_names    = City National Bank Building<br />Penobscot Building - 47 Tower
| location           = 645 Griswold Street<br />[[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]
| coordinates        = {{coord|42.33041|-83.0475|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
| start_date         = 1927
| completion_date    = 1928
| building_type      = Commercial offices
| antenna_spire      = {{convert|202.4|m|abbr=on}} 
| roof               = {{convert|172.2|m|abbr=on}}
| top_floor          = {{convert|159.4|m|abbr=on}}
| floor_count        = above ground: 47<br />below ground: 2
| elevator_count     = 25
| cost               = 
| floor_area         = {{convert|1,258,900|sqft|abbr=on}}
| structural_engineer= 
| main_contractor    = 
| developer          = 
| owner              = Triple Group Of Companies
| management         = Triple Properties Detroit
| architect          = [[Wirt C. Rowland]]<br />[[SmithGroup|Smith, Hinchman & Grylls]]<br />[[Donaldson and Meier]]
| nrhp               = {{Infobox NRHP
| embed                = yes
| name                 = Greater Penobscot Building
| architecture         = [[Art Deco]]
| nrhp_type            = cp
| nocat                = yes
| partof               = Detroit Financial District
| partof_refnum        = 09001067
| designated_nrhp_type = December 14, 2009
}}
| references         = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/118560 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310064016/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/118560 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |title=Penobscot Building |website=[[Emporis]]}}</ref><ref>{{SkyscraperPage|935}}</ref><ref>{{Structurae|20027657}}</ref>
}}

The '''Greater Penobscot Building''', commonly known as the '''Penobscot Building''', is a [[Class A office space|class-A]] office tower in [[Downtown Detroit]], [[Michigan]].<ref name=Tottis>{{cite book| author=Tottis, James W.| title=The Guardian Building: Cathedral of Finance| publisher=Wayne State University Press| year=2008| isbn=978-0-8143-3385-3| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/guardianbuilding0000tott}}</ref> Constructed in 1928, the [[Art Deco]] building is located in the heart of the [[Detroit Financial District]]. The Penobscot is a hub for the city's [[Wireless LAN|wireless]] [[Internet]] zone and [[fiber-optic communication|fiber-optic]] network.

==Height==
[[File:Penobscot Building (NBY 23701).jpg|thumb|Penobscot Building on an undated postcard]]

Upon completion, the Penobscot Building was the eighth-tallest building in the world, the fourth-tallest in the United States<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2015/01/28/penobscot-building-detroit-light/22465593/| newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]]| title=What's up with the Penobscot Building's light?| access-date=2015-01-28| date=2015-01-28| quote=...the Penobscot was the eighth-tallest building in the world — and the fourth tallest in the United States — when it opened 87 years ago.}}</ref> and the tallest outside of [[New York City|New York]] and [[Chicago]].<ref name="emporis">{{cite web| title=Penobscot Building| url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=penobscotbuilding-detroit-mi-usa| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319040029/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=penobscotbuilding-detroit-mi-usa| url-status=usurped| archive-date=March 19, 2007| website=[[Emporis]]| access-date=2010-07-04}}</ref><ref name="penobscot">{{cite web| url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=935| title=Penobscot Building| access-date=2010-07-04| website=[[SkyscraperPage]]}}</ref> Rising {{convert|566|ft|m}}, the 47-story Penobscot was the tallest building in Michigan from its completion in 1928 until construction of the [[Renaissance Center]] hotel tower in 1977. [[Ally Detroit Center]] (formerly One Detroit Center) surpassed the Penobscot as the [[List of tallest buildings in Detroit|tallest office building in Detroit]] upon its completion in 1993. The framing elevation drawing of this building shows a height of {{convert|562.166|ft|m|abbr=on}} to the highest roof, approximately {{convert|565.75|ft|m|abbr=on}} to the parapet wall around the roof, and {{convert|654.166|ft|m|abbr=on}} to the top of the warning beacon atop the antenna.

The Penobscot has 45 above-ground floors and two basement levels, for a total floor count of 47. Although the Penobscot Building has more floors than [[Ally Detroit Center]] (45 above-ground floors compared to 43 for Ally Detroit Center), the floors and [[spire]]s of One Detroit are taller, with its roof sitting roughly {{convert|60|ft|m|abbr=on}} higher than that of the Penobscot.

===Name origin===
The building is named for the Penobscot River in Maine. The building was named by Simon J. Murphy, President of the Simon J. Murphy Company. Murphy named the building from his association with lumbering in the Maine woods and on the Penobscot River in Maine.<ref>{{cite book| last=Ferry| first=W. Hawkins| title=The Buildings of Detroit: A History| publisher=Wayne State University Press| location=Detroit| edition=revised| year=1980| page=330| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MyIRAQAAMAAJ&q=penobscot| isbn=978-0-8143-1665-8| url-access=subscription}}</ref> Motifs in art deco style ornamentation is used on the exterior and the interiors. The following version of the choice of the name of the building is found in an undated publication believed to have been published concurrent with the building's dedication in 1928:
:An intimation of the [[Simon J. Murphy Sr.]] family's early history, together with the expression of genuine sentiment regarding the beginnings of the Murphy fortune, is contained in the name of the Greater Penobscot Building...... Long before the Civil War days, Simon J. Murphy and his partner, then two lads who had grown up in the Maine woods obtained their first employment in one of the logging camps along the Penobscot River - a stream named for the powerful tribe of Penobscot Indians.

==Architecture==
The architect [[Wirt C. Rowland]], of the prominent [[SmithGroup|Smith Hinchman & Grylls]] firm based in Detroit, designed the Penobscot in an elaborate [[Art Deco]] style in 1928. Clad in [[Indiana Limestone]] with a [[granite]] base, it rises like a sheer cliff for thirty stories, then has a series of setbacks culminating in a red [[neon]] [[beacon]] tower. Like many of the city's other [[Roaring Twenties]] buildings, it displays Art Deco influences, including its "H" shape (designed to allow maximum sunlight into the building) and the sculptural setbacks that cause the upper floors to progressively "erode".

The opulent Penobscot is one of many buildings in Detroit that features [[architectural sculpture]] by [[Corrado Parducci]]. The ornamentation includes [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] motifs, particularly in the entrance archway and in metalwork found in the lobby. At night, the building's upper floors are lit in floodlight fashion, topped with a red sphere.

The building's architect, Wirt C. Rowland, also designed other Detroit skyscrapers, such as the [[Guardian Building]] and the [[Buhl Building]], in the same decade.

===Penobscot Block===
The tower is also connected to two older and smaller buildings, the 1905 [[Penobscot Building (1905)|Penobscot Building]] and the [[Penobscot Building Annex]] (1916). Together, the buildings comprise the [[Penobscot Block]], located at Griswold Street and West Fort Street. The ''Greater Penobscot'' was the last portion of the complex to be developed.

==Events==
On holidays, both the Penobscot Building and the nearby [[One Woodward Avenue]] light-up for the night, with red, white and blue for [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] and [[Canada Day]]; and red, white and green for the [[Christmas]] season. In addition, during the Christmas season, the Penobscot Building's radio broadcast tower is illuminated bright gold, to resemble a giant glowing [[Christmas tree]] topped with a flashing red [[beacon]]. The Penobscot Building has become a souvenir item along with other Detroit skyscrapers.<ref name=replicas>{{cite web| url=https://www.replicabuildings.com/products.php?cat=62| title=Souvenir Replica Buildings: Detroit| website=InFocusTech skyscrapers| access-date=July 6, 2024}}</ref>

The first televisions in Michigan were sold in the retail space on the Griswold level of this building.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}

For a period of time in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was renamed the '''City National Bank Building''', after its major tenant. When City National was acquired by another bank and renamed, the historic Penobscot name was revived.

===Landmark===
The Penobscot Building is a [[contributing property]] in the [[Detroit Financial District|Detroit Financial Historic District]], and on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].

== Tenants ==
*The Caucus Club, a restaurant known for hosting influential business officials, was located in Penobscot from 1952 until 2012. On October 4, 2012, the restaurant announced that it would close by the end of that month.  Early in her career, [[Barbra Streisand]] appeared as one of the lounge singers at the Caucus Club in 1961. Caucus Club reopened under new ownership in 2017, after an extensive renovation.<ref name="osborne">{{cite news| last=Osborne| first=Marie| url=http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/04/detroits-historic-caucus-club-to-close/| title=Detroit's Historic Caucus Club To Close| work=CBS 62 Detroit| date=October 4, 2012| access-date=2013-03-07}}</ref>
*The tower apex once had "CNB" signs for a local bank that was formerly headquartered in the Penobscot Building.<ref>{{cite news| last=Friess| first=Steve| url=https://issuu.com/hour_media/docs/hd0621_digital| title=A High-Rise Brought Low| work=Hour Detroit| date=June 2021| page= 28| access-date=2024-04-23}}</ref>
*For approximately 20 years ending in 2009, the building was home to radio station [[WJLB]] and its well-known 80s DJ, [[The Electrifying Mojo]], who broadcast his ''nightly visits over Detroit from his 'Mothership'''. The Electrifying Mojo is credited with exposing many [[Detroit techno]] musicians to new audiences through his broadcasts.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}
*The Smart Detroit Conference Center occupies space on the 13th floor, and includes Class A conference, meeting, or convention space.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}
*The [[Wayne County, Michigan|Wayne County]] Friend of the Court occupies floors between the sub-basement and eighth floor, making it the current largest tenant of the building.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}

== Ownership ==
In May 2012, the Penobscot Building was sold for $5 million to the [[Toronto]]-based real estate company, Triple Properties Detroit.<ref>{{cite news| last=Duggan| first=Daniel| title=Silverdome owner buys Penobscot| date=May 6, 2012| url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20120506/SUB01/305069976/silverdome-owner-buys-penobscot| newspaper=Crain's Detroit Business}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Muller| first=David| title=Triple Properties envisions continuous underground retail for downtown | date=August 28, 2012| url=https://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/2012/08/triple_properties_envisions_co.html| newspaper=[[MLive Media Group|MLive]]}}</ref> The building has since incurred numerous fines and code violations from the city of Detroit.<ref>{{cite AV media| date=February 18, 2020| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEuL9h1weN8| title=City of Detroit coming down on owner of Penobscot building| work=[[WDIV-TV|WDIV News]]| via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Pinho| first=Detroit| title=Penobscot Building owner facing city lawsuit over condition | date=March 20, 2020| url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/penobscot-building-owner-facing-city-lawsuit-over-conditions| newspaper=Crain's Detroit Business| url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Pinho| first=Kirk| title=Is the Penobscot Building's glory fading?|  date=August 30, 2020| url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/penobscot-buildings-glory-fading| newspaper=Crain's Detroit Business| url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last1=Marini| first1=Miriam| last2=Witsil| first2=Frank| title=Detroit's Penobscot Building empties again as boiler breaks down | date=March 17, 2021 | url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2021/03/17/penobscot-building-boiler-detroit/4732185001/| newspaper=Detroit Free Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Pinho| first=Kirk| title=Commentary: Penobscot Building owner needs to sell to capable, capitalized landlord| date=March 17, 2021| url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/voices-kirk-pinho/commentary-penobscot-building-owner-needs-sell-capable-capitalized-landlord| newspaper=Crain's Detroit Business| url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Gallery==
{|class="wikitable unsortable"
! style="background:light gray; color:black"|Architectural details by Corrado Parducci
<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:PenobscotIndian1.jpg
File:PenobscotBrutal2.jpg
File:PenobscotBrutal3.jpg
File:PenobscotIndian2.jpg
</gallery>
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Michigan|Architecture}}
* [[Penobscot Block]] — ''the complex''
:* [[The Penobscot Building]] — ''the oldest''
:* [[Penobscot Building Annex]] — ''access connected''
* [[Buhl Building]]
* [[Detroit Financial District]]
* [[Guardian Building]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in Detroit]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Detroit, Michigan]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book| title=Greater Penobscot Building: Fort and Griswold Streets, Detroit| year=c. 1928}} (booklet)
*{{cite book| author1=Hill, Eric J.| author2=John Gallagher| name-list-style=amp| title=AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture| year=2002| publisher=Wayne State University Press| isbn=978-0-8143-3120-0| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/aiadetroitameric0000hill}}
* Kvaran, Einar Einarsson, ''Shadowing Parducci'', unpublished manuscript, Detroit.
*{{cite book| author=Meyer, Katherine Mattingly and Martin C.P. McElroy with Introduction by W. Hawkins Ferry, Hon A.I.A.| title=Detroit Architecture A.I.A. Guide Revised Edition| year=1980| publisher=Wayne State University Press| isbn=978-0-8143-1651-1| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/detroitarchitect0000unse}}
*{{cite book| author=Sharoff, Robert| title=American City: Detroit Architecture| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_quVubxm6EMC&q=aia+guide+detroit| publisher=Wayne State University Press| year=2005| isbn=978-0-8143-3270-2| author-link= Robert Sharoff}}
*{{cite book| author1=Savage, Rebecca Binno| author2=Greg Kowalski| name-list-style=amp| title=Art Deco in Detroit (Images of America)| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m0xsp1rV_2QC&q=art+deco+in+detroit| publisher=Arcadia| year=2004| isbn=978-1-4396-1485-3}}
*{{cite book| author=Sobocinski, Melanie Grunow| title=Detroit and Rome: building on the past| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uu7pQ5RYkpwC&q=detroit+and+rome+building+on+past| publisher=Regents of the University of Michigan| year=2005| isbn=978-0-9336-9109-4}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Penobscot Building}}
* [http://www.penobscotbuilding.com/ Official Penobscot Building website]
* [http://www.caucusclubdetroit.com/ Caucus Club website]
* [http://www.daads.org/modern/1401/penobscot.htm Article from the Detroit Area Art Deco Society] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029035854/http://www.daads.org/modern/1401/penobscot.htm |date=2008-10-29 }}

{{Downtown Detroit}}
{{Architecture of metropolitan Detroit}}
{{National Register of Historic Places listings in Wayne County, Michigan}}
{{Buildings in Michigan timeline}}

[[Category:Art Deco skyscrapers]]
[[Category:Downtown Detroit]]
[[Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Detroit]]
[[Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1928]]
[[Category:Historic district contributing properties in Michigan]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Detroit]]
[[Category:Office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan]]
[[Category:1928 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:1928 sculptures]]
[[Category:Buildings with sculpture by Corrado Parducci]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in Michigan]]
[[Category:1920s architecture in the United States]]
[[Category:Art Deco hotels]]
[[Category:Art Deco architecture in Michigan]]