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Hotel, Detroit, since 1917

Book Tower

Still standing, photographed 2014

The Book Tower, Detroit in the fall of 2010 Photo: Albert duce, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened
1917
Tall
475 ft
Floors
38
Style
Italian Renaissance

Designed by Louis Kamper

The Book Tower has risen over Washington Blvd. in Detroit since 1917, 109 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

On the Detroit skyline

Book Tower Seen from the Windsor riverfront, it stands between the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel and the Penobscot Building, under Detroit's sky right now.

The other towers

A short walk away

More photos of Book Tower

Book Tower, Detroit. "This is a snapshot I took of the Book tower in October of 2006." Photo: No machine-readable author provided. DavidYax assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Downtown, Detroit, MI, USA, 2014 Photo: sandertheone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Caryatids on the Book Tower, Detroit, Michigan, 2007 Photo: Carptrash at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

The Book Tower opened in 1917, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top.

Louis Kamper drew the plans, working in Italian Renaissance.

It rises 475 feet over 38 floors.

It still stands and still opens its doors.

Next time you are nearby, stop at 1227-1265 Washington Blvd and look up.

Timeline

  1. 1917 Built Designed by Louis Kamper
  2. 2009 Closed
  3. 2026 Today 109 years and still standing

Where it is

1227-1265 Washington Blvd.

On this map

  1. Book Tower This place
  2. St. Aloysius Catholic Church (old) 50 ft
  3. Washington Boulevard Historic District 190 ft
  4. Washington Boulevard Building 230 ft
  5. Chancery Building 260 ft
  6. Alexander Macomb Monument 300 ft
  7. Stevens Building 360 ft
  8. Malcomson Building 370 ft
  9. Cadillac Hotel 370 ft

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Col. Frank J. Hecker House, by Louis Kamper Col. Frank J. Hecker House, by Louis Kamper. Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Louis Kamper

American architect, 1861 to 1953. Designed the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel (1924) and 37 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Louis Kamper

More from Detroit in the 1910s

Around the block

Photo credits

Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.

  1. The Book Tower, Detroit in the fall of 2010 Photo: Albert duce, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Book Tower, Detroit. "This is a snapshot I took of the Book tower in October of 2006." Photo: No machine-readable author provided. DavidYax assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Downtown, Detroit, MI, USA, 2014 Photo: sandertheone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Caryatids on the Book Tower, Detroit, Michigan, 2007 Photo: Carptrash at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. a photograph of a tall building, 2007 Photo: Mikerussell at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  6. * Postcard series number: 81821Book Tower, Detroit, Mich, 1898 Photo: Scan by NYPL, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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.