Detroit Architects: F. Gordon Pickell (February 3, 1881-March 27, 1949)

Architect F. Gordon Pickell (1881-1949) was a master of his craft who learned everything he knew about constructing prestigious revival-style residences that could withstand the test of time through his studies in New York, Philadelphia, and London.

For living proof of his mastery, see the Ormund F. Hunt House at 1517 Burns, one of the first properties Pickell constructed in the city of Detroit after his relocation from Philadelphia in 1909 – a stately home and one of many that helped establish the architectural identity of historic districts like Indian Village and Grosse Pointe.

From here, Pickell became the first president of Michigan’s American Institute of Architects and served a brief two-year term before taking a step away from architecture to run the Hotel Gordon, which he did up until his death on March 27, 1949.

Though less prolific than some of his contemporaries, Pickell’s small Detroit portfolio is proof of his contribution to the city’s enduring architectural legacy.

In Grosse Pointe, Pickell designed several eye-catching residences:

• 246 Lakeland (“Twin Gables,” 1913), an English-style estate for Frederick C. Shipman
• 345 University Place (1913) – a huge six-bedroom English Manor-style home for Ernest Mead Baker and Lorraine Stroh
• 354 University Place (1914) – a Colonial Revival for Charles Bagley DuCharme, which was later rebuilt after a 1927 fire ravaged it; a property that would later be occupied by Howard Bonbright and Frank Palm’s Book (heir to the Book Building legacy)

In short, Pickell’s work remains a study in refined old-world artistry and architectural grace, bridging Detroit’s urban aesthetic with the early suburban grandeur found in districts like Grosse Pointe and Indian Village.