Building, Detroit, since 1925
Bankers Trust Company Building
Standing and open
- Opened
- 1925
- Style
- Italian Romanesque
- Standing
- 101 years
Designed by Smith, Hinchman & Grylls and Wirt C. Rowland
The Bankers Trust Company Building has stood on W. Congress St. in Detroit since 1925, 101 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.
What is there now
Standing and open
We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 24, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.
The story
In 1925, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top, the Bankers Trust Company Building opened.
Wirt C. Rowland and Smith, Hinchman & Grylls drew the plans, working in Italian Romanesque.
It is still open, and still part of daily life in the city.
Go see it at 205 W. Congress St. Photos never get the scale right.
Timeline
- 1925 Built Designed by Smith, Hinchman & Grylls and Wirt C. Rowland
- 2026 Today 101 years and still standing
Where it is
205 W. Congress St.
On this map
- 1 Bankers Trust Company Building This place
- 2 U.S. Mortgage Bond Building 110 ft
- 3 Marquette Building 180 ft
- 4 Murphy-Telegraph Building 230 ft
- 5 Foundation Hotel 240 ft
- 6 Detroit Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Building 270 ft
- 7 State Savings Bank 310 ft
- 8 Penobscot Building Annex 310 ft
- 9 Detroit Trust Co. Building 350 ft
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Architect
Smith, Hinchman & GryllsAmerican architectural and engineering company, founded 1853. Designed the Penobscot Building (1928) and 68 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Smith, Hinchman & Grylls
Architect
Wirt C. RowlandAmerican architect, 1878 to 1946. Designed the Guardian Building (1929) and 11 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Wirt C. Rowland
More from Detroit in the 1920s
-
Chateau Frontenac
Building, built 1925, Mediterranean, by J. Will Wilson, demolished 1999
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Belcrest Apartments
Building, built 1926, Neo-Romanesque, by Charles N. Agree
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Westin Book Cadillac Hotel
Hotel, built 1924, Neo-Renaissance, by Louis Kamper
Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Broderick Tower
Structure, built 1927, Beaux Arts, by Louis Kamper
Photo: St8fan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Cadillac Tower
Structure, built 1927, Late Gothic Revival, by Bonnah & Chaffee
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Bethel Community Transformation Center
House of worship, built 1922, by Albert Kahn
Photo: paintings by Myron G. Barlow photography by Helmut Ziewers,, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Around the block
- U.S. Mortgage Bond Building Building, built 1925, Neoclassical-Renaissance Revival, by Harry S. Angell 110 ft
- Marquette Building Building, built 1906, by Rogers & MacFarlane 180 ft
- Murphy-Telegraph Building Building, built 1913, by Donaldson & Meier 230 ft
- Foundation Hotel Hotel, built 1929, Neoclassical, by Hans Gerhke 240 ft
- Detroit Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Building Building, built 1912, Neoclassical, by George D. Mason 270 ft
-
![State Savings Bank, [State Savings Bank, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4789-2396-thumb-59fc0588a5.jpg)
State Savings Bank
Building, built 1900, Beaux Arts, by Donaldson & Meier
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
310 ft
-
Penobscot Building Annex
Skyscraper, built 1916, Chicago School, by Donaldson & Meier
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
310 ft
- Detroit Trust Co. Building Building, built 1915, Neoclassical, by Albert Kahn 350 ft
Sources
Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.