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Building, Detroit, since 1913

Capitol Park Building

Still standing, photographed 2021

[Griswold Street from Capitol Park, Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Opened
1913
Standing
113 years

Designed by Leonard B. Willeke

The Capitol Park Building has stood on Griswold St. in Detroit since 1913, 113 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Capitol Park Building

Griswold Street from Capitol Park, Detroit, Mich. Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Griswold St. from Capitol Park, Detroit, Mich. Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Photograph of Capitol Park, Detroit, Michigan, in July 1942 Photo: Arthur S. Siegel, public domain, 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

In 1913, during the boom years when the auto industry turned Detroit into one of the fastest growing cities in America, the Capitol Park Building opened.

Credit the design to Leonard B. Willeke.

It is still open, and still part of daily life in the city.

Next time you are nearby, stop at 1145 Griswold St and look up.

Timeline

  1. 1913 Built Designed by Leonard B. Willeke
  2. 2026 Today 113 years and still standing

Where it is

1145 Griswold St.

On this map

  1. Capitol Park Building This place
  2. Brown Brothers Building 50 ft
  3. Capitol Park Historic District 110 ft
  4. Stevens T. Mason Monument 120 ft
  5. United Savings Bank Building 130 ft
  6. Michigan State Capitol 160 ft
  7. Malcomson Building 190 ft
  8. David Stott Building 240 ft
  9. Garrick Theatre 270 ft

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Medbury's-Grove Lawn Subdivisions Historic District, by Leonard B. Willeke Medbury's-Grove Lawn Subdivisions Historic District, by Leonard B. Willeke. Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Leonard B. Willeke

American architect, born 1885. Designed Medbury's-Grove Lawn Subdivisions Historic District and 3 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Leonard B. Willeke

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. [Griswold Street from Capitol Park, Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  2. Griswold Street from Capitol Park, Detroit, Mich. Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  3. Griswold St. from Capitol Park, Detroit, Mich. Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  4. Photograph of Capitol Park, Detroit, Michigan, in July 1942 Photo: Arthur S. Siegel, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. Capitol Park in Detroit, Michigan (United States), 2021 Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, 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.