Detroit Architects: William F. Goodrich (August 6, 1886 – October 1946)

William F. Goodrich (August 6, 1886 – October 1946) may not be as well-known as some of his contemporaries, yet that does not mean he did not make an impact on Detroit’s early residential landscape.

Quite the contrary, his impressive body of work reveals a gifted designer who was loved by Detroit’s early influential families, builders, and developers.

His name first surfaced in 1914 in a proposal for a massive 800-room summer hotel located in Grosse Pointe Shores.

This was a project so extensive that it required its very own power plant, something entirely unheard of at the time.

And while that project never left the development phase, it still underscored Goodrich’s mastery and led to him working as one of the core residential architects in Grosse Pointe Farms.

He also commissioned both 87 and 115 Lewiston on behalf of the Alexander Lewis Realty Company – two sophisticated Regency-style homes – before completing work on what is often considered his most prestigious Grosse Pointe commission: the Sunnycroft residence for Mrs. William K. Anderson located at 70 Moran.

Published in Michigan Architect and Engineer, the Sunnycroft property featured intricately handcrafted interior details and sprawling formal gardens perfect for entertaining.

The house was partially torn down in 1946 and fully razed in 1957, yet what remains of its documentation is evidence of Goodrich’s quality workmanship and extensive artistic range.

Goodrich’s other notable commissions include:

515 University Place in the Farms, a classic Colonial with balanced symmetry, huge windows, and gorgeous wood interiors

The stately Mrs. Catherine Barnard House at 1458 Burns in Indian Village

1325 Bedford in the Park, a perfect example of his willingness to explore varied stylistic expressions

875 Pemberton, a balanced Colonial revival design