Detroit Free Press Building

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Detroit Free Press Building
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Commercial offices
Architectural style	Art Deco / Art Moderne
Location	321 W. Lafayette Street Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates	42.33°N 83.0508°WCoordinates: 42.33°N 83.0508°W
Construction started	1924
Completed	1925
Height
Roof	57.91 m (190.0 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	14 2 below ground
Lifts/elevators	8
Design and construction
Architect	Albert Kahn
Detroit Free Press Building
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Michigan State Historic Site
Part of	Detroit Financial District (#09001067)
Significant dates
Designated CP	December 14, 2009
Designated MSHS	January 8, 1981
References
[1][2][3]

The Detroit Free Press Building is an office building designed by Albert Kahn Associates in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Construction began in 1924 and was completed in 1925.
The high-rise building contains 302,400 sq ft (28,090 m²) on 14 above-ground and two basement levels.^[4] The building features Art Deco detailing, and is a steel-frame structure faced with limestone. Its design features stepped massing in the central tower and flanking wings. When constructed, the building housed editorial and business offices for the paper as well as printing facilities and rental space.^[5] The building is adorned with bas-relief figures, sculpted by Ulysses A. Ricci, symbolizing commerce and communication.^[6]
The building, located at 321 West Lafayette, has been unoccupied since the newspaper offices moved in 1998.^[7] It was formerly the home of the Detroit Free Press, and while occupied by the newspaper, displayed large neon signs of the newspaper logo on its roof facing north and south. Printing facilities for the newspaper occupied the lower floors of the building until 1979, when a new production facility opened approximately one-mile southwest at 1801 West Jefferson Avenue.^[8]
The newspaper offices are now located in the building Albert Kahn designed for The Detroit News at 615 West Lafayette. Because the News Building is only three stories, it is constructed of reinforced concrete and faced with concrete fashioned to look like stone.^[9] When Free Press offices moved into the building, they occupied the southern portion and used the address of 600 West Fort Street while The News used its long-time address of 615 West Lafayette. In February 2014, both newspapers announced their intent to move to another facility which would be more suited to their current needs.^[10]