Building, Detroit, since 1908
Lane Bryant Building
Standing and open
- Opened
- 1908
- Style
- Art Moderne
- Standing
- 118 years
Designed by Charles N. Agree and Joseph E. Mills
The Lane Bryant Building has stood on Woodward Ave. in Detroit since 1908, 118 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.
What is there now
Standing and open
- Electrical permit Saksey's - Exterior Lighting (Suite 300) Source: City and county building permits
We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 25, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.
The story
The Lane Bryant Building opened in 1908, during the boom years when the auto industry turned Detroit into one of the fastest growing cities in America.
Charles N. Agree and Joseph E. Mills drew the plans, in the Art Moderne style.
It still stands and still opens its doors.
Next time you are nearby, stop at 1520 Woodward Ave and look up.
Timeline
- 1908 Built Designed by Charles N. Agree and Joseph E. Mills
- 2025 Electrical permit October 15, 2025
- 2026 Today 118 years and still standing
Where it is
1520 Woodward Ave.
On this map
- 1 Lane Bryant Building This place
- 2 United Foundation Building 50 ft
- 3 A&M Coney Island Building 60 ft
- 4 Wright-Kay Building 70 ft
- 5 Metropolitan Building 140 ft
- 6 Richman Brothers Co. Store Building 150 ft
- 7 Fourteen56 160 ft
- 8 Fisher Arcade 160 ft
- 9 Grinnell Brothers Music House 170 ft
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Whittier Hotel, by Charles N. Agree. Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Architect
Charles N. AgreeArchitect, 1897 to 1982. Designed the Whittier Hotel (1923) and 12 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Charles N. Agree
- Whittier Hotel 1923
- Campau Realty Co. Building 1924
- Pilgrim and Puritan Apartment Complex 1924
- Belcrest Apartments 1926
- Hollywood Theatre 1927
- Grande Ballroom 1928
Michigan Avenue Historic Commercial District, by Joseph E. Mills. Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Architect
Joseph E. MillsAmerican architect. Designed Michigan Avenue Historic Commercial District (1884) and 10 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Joseph E. Mills
- Henry A. Cleland House 1880
- Michigan Avenue Historic Commercial District 1884
- John C. Day House 1889
- Grosfield Building 1893
- Prismatic Club 1896
- Richard H. Macauley House 1899
More from Detroit in the 1900s
-
Belle Isle Casino
Building, built 1908, Renaissance Revival, by Van Leyen & Schilling
Photo: Tichnor Brothers, Publisher, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
-
7300 Woodward
Building, built 1910, by Albert Kahn
Photo: Jet Lowe, Historic American Buildings Survey, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
-
Cary Building
Building, built 1906, Beaux Arts, by Richard E. Raseman
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Dreamtroit (Warren Motor Car Co.)
Building, built 1910, Commercial Style, by Rogers & MacFarlane
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Breitmeyer-Tobin Building
Building, built 1905, Beaux Arts, by Raseman & Fisher
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Cathedral Church of St. Paul
House of worship, built 1911, Neo-Gothic, by Ralph Adams Cram
Photo: Andrew Jameson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Around the block
- United Foundation Building Building, built 1916 50 ft
- A&M Coney Island Building Building, built 1926 60 ft
-
Wright-Kay Building
Building, built 1891, Queen Anne, by Gordon W. Lloyd
Photo: JJonahJackalope, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
70 ft
- Metropolitan Building Hotel, built 1925, Neo-Gothic, by Harold Slaight Ellington 140 ft
- Richman Brothers Co. Store Building Building, built 1931, by Albert Kahn 150 ft
- Fourteen56 Building, built 1916, Italian Renaissance, by Richard E. Raseman 160 ft
- Fisher Arcade Building, built 1912, by Albert Kahn 160 ft
-
Grinnell Brothers Music House
Built 1908, Chicago School
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
170 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.