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# If These Renderings Come True, This Old Detroit Skyscraper Will Be Amazing
- URL: https://www.dailydetroit.com/if-these-renderings-come-true-this-old-detroit-skyscraper-will-be-amazing/
- Published: 2019-09-04T10:44:48.000Z
- Updated: 2024-02-25T22:31:28.000Z
- Author: Jer Staes
- Tags: #wordpress, #Import 2024-02-25 18:12, #admin

The Book Tower on Washington Boulevard has a long and colorful history as one of Detroit’s oldest skyscrapers (and for a short time, the tallest).

The Louis Kamper designed building has a level of adornment on the outside that’s insane. 

Now that it’s been cleaned up by Dan Gilbert-owned Bedrock, it’s moved from a dark grey that makes one think of a giant Ghostbusters headquarters to a shiny tower of art. 

The building was built in two parts. The lower building was started in 1916 and the tower added in 1926\. At the time it [was dubbed an “architectural failure,”](https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/book-tower-and-book-building?ref=dailydetroit.com) but in the modern world of all-glass towers it has a unique charm.

Bedrock got their hands on the building in 2015 and have replaced more than 2,400 windows. It had been sitting empty since 2009.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/47/f5/47f528d4-7214-4519-b2b2-26249e48460d/content/images/wordpress/2019/09/BookTower-20170706-002_2048px-1024x683.jpg)

The Book Tower today.

The before and after of this one is one of the most visually clear examples of what happens when a skyscraper gets rehabilitated.

> [8 Before And After Pictures Of Detroit’s Beautiful Book Tower Coming Back To Life](http://www.dailydetroit.com/2017/07/03/8-pictures-detroits-beautiful-book-tower-coming-back-life/)

Today comes news that New York-based ODA has been named the design architects, and that the original lobby with a stunningly ornate glass ceiling will be restored.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/47/f5/47f528d4-7214-4519-b2b2-26249e48460d/content/images/wordpress/2019/09/190903_Book-Development-Atrium_2048px-1024x1024.jpg)

Rendering courtesy of Bedrock

Having crawled through the old empty floors of the Book, getting this done will be a showstopper for the city. Here is a link to some pictures of that trip.

> [Let’s Peek Inside The First Few Floors Of The Long-Empty Book Tower](http://www.dailydetroit.com/2017/09/20/lets-peek-inside-first-floors-long-empty-book-tower/)

The 486,760 square-foot structure is intended to have a mix of offices, retail and residential. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/47/f5/47f528d4-7214-4519-b2b2-26249e48460d/content/images/wordpress/2019/09/190903_Book-Development-Entrance_2048px-1024x683.jpg)

Rendering of the Book along Washington Boulevard. Courtesy Bedrock.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/47/f5/47f528d4-7214-4519-b2b2-26249e48460d/content/images/wordpress/2019/09/3690_Book-Tower_Int_Atrium_Ground-01_REV-03_PSD_2048px-1024x692.jpg)

Rendering of the future lobby of the Book. Courtesy Bedrock.

Sadly, a set of public tours on Saturday of the current progress of the construction were sold out before we got the press release.