Entries by Katie Doelle

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Grosse Pointes Most Distinctive Home? – 15500 Windmill Pointe Drive

Grosse Pointe is a rarity in that it has an abundance of diverse and distinctive homes. One of the most unique homes in the community is 15500 Windmill Pointe Drive, Grosse Pointe Park. Not only does it have a memorable exterior, the interior is just as fascinating – it is possibly the only home on […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Diverse work of Crombie and Stanton – 340 Lakeland

When Charles Crombie and Henry F. Stanton formed their Detroit based architectural firm in 1914, they created a firm with a very eclectic portfolio. Not only did they design one of the largest homes in Grosse Pointe City, they also claimed third place in a national competition for the design of a low-cost brick house […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Welcome to Bishop Road – Pure Style – Part 2.

With many of the homes reading like a who’s who of talented architects who designed them, and wealthy families who commissioned them, lets continue the story of Bishop Road with house numbers 1007 and 1008. The Homes 1007 Bishop Road Designed in 1923 by architects Maul and Lentz, the house is located on one of […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Welcome to Bishop Road – Pure Style – Part 1.

The first block of Bishop Road (between Jefferson and Maumee) reads like a who’s who of prominent families and architects from the 1920’s. This block has such prominence this will be a two part series. Built for high-flying executives looking to relocate their families to Grosse Pointe, the requirement(s) for grand homes close to Lake St. […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – the one of a kind modernist home – the Frank and Anne Parcells House

With a sublime view of Lake St. Clair, 3 Cameron Place, aka the Frank and Anne Parcells House, is a rarity in Grosse Pointe. Not only does it break the mould of the traditional Colonial and Tudor residences found in the Pointes, it is the only home in the State of Michigan to be designed […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Grosse Pointe South High School.

Having covered the work of George J. Haas at Defer Elementary School, we continue with his next project – Grosse Pointe South High School. The early 1920’s in Grosse Pointe were boom time. The area was rapidly expanding and the school district was undergoing a dramatic transformation to accommodate the growing population. Having just completed […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Welcome to the World of George J. Haas

We may be surrounded by a wealth of stunning residential architecture, however lets not forget the many wonderful municipal buildings that are located around Grosse Pointe. Buildings that have not only earned recognition from an architectural sense, but buildings that have been designed by some of the leading architects in their field – magnificent churches, […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Architect Charles A. Platt

Charles A. Platt, renowned artist, landscape gardener, landscape designer and architect. He designed several buildings in the Detroit area, including at least 5 in Grosse Pointe. While he may not have been the most prolific architect in the community, his work here proved to be of huge significance. Platt was born in New York City […]

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The School With the Many Faces – Grosse Pointe Academy

Having recently covered the history of St. Paul’s Church, we couldn’t ignore the superb colonial building directly adjacent, the Grosse Pointe Academy, formally known as the Academy of the Sacred Heart. The origins of the land on which the Grosse Pointe Academy now sits dates back to before 1813, when the plot existed as five […]