Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe

Last week we concluded our two-part series on the St. Clare of Montefalco Parish. 2026 marks the 100th Anniversary, so in honor of this momentous celebration, we explored the history of the school and the church.

This week we turn our attention to one of Grosse Pointes lost estates – 431 Lake Shore. This once grand home was completed in 1914, by the nationally renowned architectural firm Smith, Hinchman & Grylls for William P. Stevens, an industrial developer. It was demolished in the fall of 2001. The post was a request from Mr. George, a former owner of the property.

431 Lake Shore was a magnificent Georgian Revival home, situated on a huge lot. When the house was first built, in 1914, the brick-built property had a prominent entrance at both the front and the rear of the home (which faced the lake). Georgian Revival homes of this era typically featured a distinctive entrance, accompanied by Doric fluted columns, and are symmetrical in their configuration – as was 431 Lake Shore.

The property was originally accessible from Kercheval. Aside from the house the estate also included a garage, and a cottage. It is alleged the house cost $50,000 to build (around $1.6m today). Mr. George explained the house was originally built on a swampy area, however when construction started the soil was firmer than first thought, but by that point 100 pilings had been put in. He also confirmed the external walls were three bricks thick, with iron girders along with poured concrete. At the time there was a 16” pipe that drained sewage from the home into the lake.

Once through the main door the floor plan was dominated by a long center hall/foyer that extended through the house. Measuring 14’ x 34’ ft the foyer was the central feature of the home, along with a grand stairway. Part of the foyer included an entrance for the servants, along with a small telephone room where the butler would answer the phone. Leading from the foyer were the 18’ x 23’ ft dining room, 18’ x 26’ ft library and the grand 21’ x 35’ ft living room, with all three rooms having a magnificent view of the lake. The main floor also included a sizeable kitchen, pantry, a mens’ and ladies’ bathroom, plus a break room for the staff.

Heading up to the second floor, the main landing of the stairway incorporated a large Palladian style window, centrally located over the driveway side entrance. The floor featured five large bedrooms, a sun deck, an 18’ x 19’ ft sitting room (complete with bar), and two dressing rooms. For security each of the bedrooms were interconnecting with locks on each door. The “escape route” was down the service stairs. Meanwhile, the third floor had three bedrooms (for maids), along with a hobby room, and a large 23’ x 23’ ft playroom. In the basement was a games room, laundry room, a sizeable area for storage, a coal room, plus a wine vault.

It is understood both the interior and exterior reflected the modest nature of Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. The couple put “their best face forward, with the lakeside being the most elaborate and most visible, while the remainder of the house was much calmer and more reserved”.

Mr. George, in his conversation with the posts author, Katie Doelle, explained 431 Lake Shore was located next to the plot of land where 22 Webber Place was built in 1927, for Oscar Webber, general manager of Hudson’s Department Store. Following the construction of 22 Webber Place, Mr. Stevens allegedly said his new neighbor made his house look small, so in 1929 he hired prominent architect Hugh T. Keyes to make extensive alterations, which not only altered the symmetry of the original design but increased the size of the home to 8,700 sq ft. One of Keyes specialties was making wide scale changes to older homes to bring them more in-line with how families wanted to live in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s.

The original owner, William Petherick Stevens was born on 29 September 1871 in Detroit. He graduated from Yale with a degree in civil engineering in 1893. During his career he worked with his father, Captain William H. Stevens, in real estate development, and spent a lifetime developing industrial centers, predominantly Highland Park, along with expanding extensive holdings acquired by his father. During WWI Mr. Stevens worked with the War Department acquiring property for military installations. He also served a term on the old Detroit Board of Estimates and was a councilman for Grosse Pointe Farms for several years. On 7 February 1911, he married Mary Whitwood Flinn, and they had two children. William P. Stevens passed on May 24, 1953. Source: Detroit Free Press (May 1953).

Following the death of Mr. Stevens, 431 Lake Shore was listed for sale by his wife. It was sold to Jack Anderson in April 1954 and was then purchased by John B. Ford III in 1958. From notes in our files, we understand, at the time, part of the lot at the rear (300’ x 135’) on Kercheval was sold to John Beers. The property was on the market again in July 1983 for $650,000 (around $2.1m today), it was purchased by Mr. George in August 1984 who then sold it in June 2001. Because of structural issues (due to extensive water damage), along with significant amounts of lead paint and asbestos insulation throughout, the new owner razed the home in the fall of 2001. Image courtesy of: Grosse Pointe Historical Society.

I would like to thank Mr. George for contacting us about his former home, it was a stunning house and played a significant role in the grand estates of Grosse Pointe.

* Photos courtesy of the Higbie Maxon Agney archives unless stated.

** Research, information, and data sources are deemed reliable, but accuracy cannot be fully guaranteed.

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