Building, Midtown, since 1922
Billinghurst Apartments
Under renovation
- Opened
- 1922
- Style
- Georgian
- Standing
- 104 years
Designed by /architects/lundblad-lundblad
The Billinghurst Apartments has stood on W. Willis St. in Midtown since 1922, 104 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.
Billinghurst Apartments today, from the street
What is there now
Under renovation
- Plumbing permit Establish water from stop box Source: City and county building permits
We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 24, 2026.
The story
The Billinghurst Apartments opened in 1922, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top.
/architects/lundblad-lundblad drew the plans, in the Georgian style.
Crews are bringing it back, and Detroit is watching.
Go see it at 69 W. Willis St. Photos never get the scale right.
Timeline
- 1922 Built Designed by /architects/lundblad-lundblad
- 2026 Plumbing permit October 20, 2026
- 2026 Today Under renovation
Where it is
69 W. Willis St.
On this map
- 1 Billinghurst Apartments This place
- 2 Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station 230 ft
- 3 Graybar Electric Company Building 420 ft
- 4 Garden Bowl 500 ft
- 5 Majestic Theatre 510 ft
- 6 Majestic Theater 510 ft
- 7 Stuber-Stone and Company 0.1 mi
- 8 Detroit-Columbia Central Office Building 0.1 mi
- 9 David Whitney House 0.1 mi
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Architect
/architects/lundblad-lundbladArchitecture firm. Designed the Billinghurst Apartments (1922)
More from Detroit in the 1920s
-
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
-
Cadillac Place
Building, built 1920, by Albert Kahn
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0, 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
-
Buhl Building
Skyscraper, built 1925, Neo-Romanesque, by Wirt C. Rowland
Photo: I, Mikerussell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
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
Around the block
It is in Midtown. See the neighborhood's homes, pros and story.
-
Detroit Edison Company Willis Avenue Station
Building, built 1916
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
230 ft
-
Graybar Electric Company Building
Building
Photo: Andrew Jameson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
420 ft
-
Garden Bowl
Theater, built 1913, Mid-Century Modern, by Richard E. Raseman
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
500 ft
-
![Majestic Theatre, [Majestic Theatre, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4630-2360-thumb-2538540c91.jpg)
Majestic Theatre
Theater, built 1915, Art Deco, by Bennett & Straight
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
510 ft
-
Majestic Theater
Theater, built 1915, Art Deco, by C. Howard Crane
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
510 ft
-
Stuber-Stone and Company
Building
Photo: Andrew Jameson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.1 mi
-
Detroit-Columbia Central Office Building
Building, by Smith, Hinchman & Grylls
Photo: Andrew Jameson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.1 mi
-
David Whitney House
Built 1894, Romanesque Revival
Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.1 mi
Photo credits
Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.
- Billinghurst Apartments from the street today Photo: Street View, 2026
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.