Are you thinking about taking a short trip this Fall, getting away for the weekend to take in a football game, or peeking at Fall colors? This month we explore some of the more unique and historical buildings located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that reinforce MAF’s mission of “advancing awareness of how architecture enriches life.” All of the buildings featured are located within the city. We have also included a few of our favorites that were published in previous MAF road trips. If you are planning a trip to Ann Arbor, please consider some of the following options to learn more about the area’s architecture.
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church: 530 Elizabeth St, Ann Arbor
Dedicated in 1845, the gorgeous St. Thomas the Apostle Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Church on Elizabeth Street. It was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by the Detroit architectural firm of Spier & Rohns. When visiting, church-goers are greeted with a beautiful clocktower, soaring ceilings, stained glass windows and a statue of St. Thomas straight from Padua, Italy.
Complex of St. Thomas the Apostle, 1899, 1902,1911, 1929 | Ann Arbor District Library (aadl.org)
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – Wikipedia
St. Thomas the Apostle Church – Ann Arbor, MI (sta2.org)
Hill Auditorium and Burton Memorial Tower:
825 N University Ave (Hill Auditorium) and 230 N Ingalls St (Burton Tower), Ann Arbor
Renowned for its magnificent acoustics, Hill Auditorium was built in 1913 and is one of the world’s great concert halls. The building was named after Arthur Hill, a former U-M regent who in 1909 bequeathed $200,000 (equivalent to $6.0 million in 2021) to the university for the construction of the auditorium. Flanking the auditorium and housing a grand carillon, the Burton Memorial Tower was built in 1936 as a memorial for University President Marion Leroy Burton. Both buildings were designed by Albert Kahn, a testament to his skill; from auto factories to concert halls to office towers to private homes, he could do it all.
Hill Auditorium | U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance (umich.edu)
Burton Memorial Tower – Wikipedia
Burton Memorial Tower (umich.edu)
Gandy Dancer: 401 Depot St, Ann Arbor
This elegant structure was built in 1886 in the Romanesque Revival style, popularized by architect Henry H. Richardson. The building was considered to be one of the finest railroad stations on the Michigan Central Line. Designed by Spier and Rohns, the building features heavy stone walls with deep-set round-arch openings. The building has been repurposed as the Gandy Dancer restaurant and still maintains all of its grandeur. Also see the Gandy Dancer as the MAF ‘Must See Michigan Architecture’ feature in this month’s newsletter; click to read.
Gandy Dancer | Upscale Dining in an Historic Atmosphere (gandydancerrestaurant.com)
Michigan Central Railroad Depot, Gandy Dancer, 1886 | Ann Arbor District Library (aadl.org)
Retrospective: How Ann Arbor lost its historic train depot and why some want it back – mlive.com
Kempf House Museum: 312 S Division St, Ann Arbor
The Kempf House Museum, built in 1853, was home to the Kempfs, a busy German-American Family who lived and worked here in the 1890s. This Greek Revival house is a unique resource because of its national architectural significance, downtown location, and the distinguished contributions of the Kempfs to the musical culture of Ann Arbor. Today, it is home to the Kempf House Museum, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and celebrating the Bennett-Kempf house, its garden and collections.
St. Andrews Episcopal Church: 306 N Division St., Ann Arbor
With its steep slate roof, stone walls, and pointed stained-glass windows, St. Andrew’s Episcopal was designed to look like a church out of the Middle Ages. It was actually built in 1868, but it is still Ann Arbor’s oldest church, coming up on its 156th birthday this year. The church building is the finest jewel of Gothic Revival architecture in Ann Arbor and was designed by Gordon Lloyd of Detroit, Michigan’s premier Gothic Revival architect. Lloyd apprenticed for ten years under his uncle, Ewan Christian, an eminent English architect who specialized in design and restoring churches.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church | Ann Arbor District Library (aadl.org)
St. Thomas the Apostle Church – Ann Arbor, MI (sta2.org)
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church | Ann Arbor, MI (standrewsaa.org)
Detroit Observatory: 1398 E Ann St. (at the corner of Ann and Observatory Streets), Ann Arbor
The Detroit Observatory was built in 1854 and quickly became the centerpiece of scientific advancement at U-M. It housed precision instruments such as the Fitz and Meridian telescopes, through which astronomers made groundbreaking discoveries. The Detroit Observatory helped transform U-M into a world-class research institution. The building was designed by Richard Harrison Bull, a New York University civil engineering professor and amateur astronomer. A 2022 addition, designed by HED, preserved the original building structure and expanded the visitor’s experience by providing additional classrooms, a reception area and support spaces.
Detroit Observatory – Wikipedia
Visit – Detroit Observatory (umich.edu)
History of the Detroit Observatory (umich.edu)
University of Michigan Detroit Observatory Addition | HED
Law School Quadrangle, University of Michigan: 625 S State St, Ann Arbor
This striking group of Collegiate Gothic-style buildings borrow from the designs of campuses in Oxford and Cambridge. Four distinct buildings, designed by York and Sawyer, were planned and built around a central quad. The buildings feature extensive architectural detailing such as stone tracery windows, stained glass and oak paneling, which contributes to the awe and reverence of the complex. The cathedral-like main research library remains one of Michigan’s most regal rooms.
The Law Quadrangle (umich.edu)
A look back at the University of Michigan Law Quad’s first buildings (annarbor.com)
Law School Quadrangle | SAH ARCHIPEDIA (sah-archipedia.org)
Michigan Theater: 6063 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor
Designed by Detroit-based architect Maurice Finkel and built in 1927, this historic auditorium seats 1,610 and features the 1927 Barton Theatre Pipe Organ. The building is usually referred to as “Romanesque Revival” but Finkel in a news interview that he worked in a mixture of styles including classical, medieval and Romanesque and thought that this building would fit with other University of Michigan buildings.
Michigan Theater (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – Wikipedia
Remembering how Ann Arbor saved the Michigan Theater 40 years ago – mlive.com
Nickels Arcade: 326 S State St, Ann Arbor
Long before the suburban mall, local businessman Tom Nickels along with local architect Herman Pipp figured out a way to extend the Ann Arbor State Street commercial strip facing the University of Michigan Campus. The 265-foot-long skylight covered walkway connects State Street to Maynard Street with a unique combination of first floor shops and upper-level offices. The building features classical forms melded with Art Deco imagery.
Nickels Arcade: – Ann Arbor Observer
See photos of Ann Arbor’s Nickels Arcade over the last 100 years – mlive.com
Nickels Arcade: The First 100 Years | Ann Arbor District Library (aadl.org)