Tower on the Boulevard The History and Rehabilitation of the Book Tower Webinar Recording 03 28 202

The Book Tower is one of the most iconic skyscrapers in downtown Detroit, gracing the city skyline with its bright green copper roof and ornate Italian Renaissance detailing. Designed by architect Louis Kamper, who worked in close partnership with the Book family of Detroit, the Book Building was begun in 1916 and completed in 1917. In the feverish days of boom-era Detroit, the Book family commissioned an addition to the Book Building and again tapped Louis Kamper for the design. Thus, in 1926 the Book Tower was added onto the original Book Building.

The Book Tower reigned for decades as one of Detroit’s finest, most luxurious office and retail destinations; however, by the 1980s, as office tenants moved away and maintenance was deferred, the building fell into disrepair. When the last tenant moved out in 2009, the building was in need of full renovation. Bedrock Detroit acquired the building in 2015, and Kraemer Design Group was tapped to provide historic rehabilitation guidance to the project team.

This session explores the seven-plus year renovation of the Book Tower that stretches the imagination by its sheer size and complexity, requiring ingenuity and a depth and breadth of expertise unlike any other project in the city. Topics such as the fascinating history of the building, challenging code compliance issues involved in the rehabilitation, façade restoration, and the spectacular, soaring “crystal ceiling” reconstruction in the lobby will be covered in this presentation.

This webinar is supported in part by an award from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.