The Milton L. Briggs House – 1701 Balmoral Drive, Detroit, MI 48203

Designed by early 20th-century architect Clarence E. Day, The Milton L. Briggs House once located at 1701 Balmoral Drive, Detroit, MI 48203, was one of a handful of striking architect-commissioned private properties within Detroit’s heralded Palmer Woods Historic District.

Situated on a beautiful tree-lined stretch of Balmoral Drive, the property reflected the district’s commitment to quality architecture, spacious interior floor plans, and golden-age suburban elegance.

Commissioned for Milton L. Briggs, the vice president of Briggs Manufacturing Company (a major supplier of automobile bodies during Detroit’s automotive boom), the 1701 Balmoral Drive property was central to some of Detroit’s most architecturally distinguished homes in a community known for its prestige, exclusiveness, wooded landscaping, and deliberate planning.

It remained highly sought after for nearly a century and was even sold as recently as June 2023 for an impressive $950,000, underlining its esteemed reputation and rich architectural pedigree.

Sadly, the Briggs House suffered extensive fire damage on October 9, 2024 while undergoing renovations, and while no one was harmed, the fire represented a heartbreaking loss for the Palmer Woods community, bringing a 100-year legacy to a sad close.