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Building, Detroit, since 1927

Lee Plaza

Still standing, photographed 2016

Rooftop of the Lee Plaza, an abandoned high rise building in Detroit, MI, 2016 Photo: RomanKahler, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened
1927
Style
Art Deco
Standing
99 years

Designed by Charles Noble

The Lee Plaza has stood on W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit since 1927, 99 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Lee Plaza

Lee Plaza Hotel, Detroit Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lee Plaza, one time hotel now vacant, West Grand Blvd, near Grand River in Detroit, Michigan, 2008 Photo: Mikerussell at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lee Plaza in Detroit street level view of bricked up ground floor, 2008 Photo: Mikerussell at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is there now

Under renovation

  • Sold for $340,000 Source: County parcel records

Building permits at this address

15 permits since November 2024

$83 million in declared work (5 of 15 name a figure) Newest: Mechanical permit, October 7, 2026

  1. Mechanical permit

    Remodel existing building into new hotel

  2. Alter revision permit

    Revision to BLD2025-00961 to reflect the amended scope of work to Code per plans. (Exterior & interior... Read all

    Revision to BLD2025-00961 to reflect the amended scope of work to Code per plans. (Exterior & interior alterations throu

    $27.3 million

  3. Elevator permit

    New installation 1 of 2

  4. Elevator permit

    New installation 2 of 2

  5. Mechanical permit

    Adding an exhaust system to existing permits

  6. Mechanical permit

    Adding on to PERMIT MEC2025-05036

  7. Alter revision permit

    Revision to BLD2024-01896 for Mechanical and Electrical wall types & remove & replace Windows to Code per... Read all

    Revision to BLD2024-01896 for Mechanical and Electrical wall types & remove & replace Windows to Code per plans. (Exteri

    $27.3 million

  8. Alteration permit

    Install new Fire Alarm System throughout to Code per plans. Subject to Field Approval.

    $210,000

  9. Fire alarm permit

    Installing new fire alarm system into building.

  10. Mechanical permit

    HVAC renovations of units on Floors 2-10

  11. Plumbing permit

    Plumbing Renovations

  12. Generator permit

    Installing new Generator at Lee Plaza.

  13. Alteration permit

    Exterior & interior alterations throughout & Build-Out of 117 Units on Floors 2 thru 10, to Code per plans.... Read all

    Exterior & interior alterations throughout & Build-Out of 117 Units on Floors 2 thru 10, to Code per plans. Subject to F

    $27.3 million

  14. Alteration permit

    Site and Utility work & Change of Land Use to Parking Lot (Accessory) to Code per plans. Subject to Field... Read all

    Site and Utility work & Change of Land Use to Parking Lot (Accessory) to Code per plans. Subject to Field Approval. Sepa

    $750,000

  15. Elevator permit

    New installation

Source: City and county building permits

We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 25, 2026.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

In 1927, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top, the Lee Plaza opened.

The design came from Charles Noble, in the Art Deco style.

It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Crews are bringing it back, and Detroit is watching.

Go see it at 2240 W. Grand Blvd. Photos never get the scale right.

The Lee Plaza (also known as the Lee Plaza Hotel or Lee Plaza Apartments) is a vacant 16-story high-rise apartment building undergoing restoration located at 2240 West Grand Boulevard, about one mile west of New Center along West Grand Boulevard, an area in Detroit, Michigan.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Timeline

  1. 1927 Built Designed by Charles Noble
  2. 1981 Listed on the National Register November 5, 1981
  3. 1997 Closed
  4. 2024 Elevator permit November 13, 2024
  5. 2025 Sold April 21, 2025, for $340,000
  6. 2025 7 building permits $28.3 million in declared work, the latest September 25
  7. 2026 7 building permits $54.7 million in declared work, the latest October 7
  8. 2026 Today Under renovation

Where it is

2240 W. Grand Blvd.

On this map

  1. Lee Plaza This place
  2. Shrine of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church 0.3 mi
  3. C.L. Franklin House 0.3 mi
  4. Olympia Stadium 0.3 mi
  5. Northwestern High School (old) 0.3 mi
  6. YMCA (Fisher Branch) 0.4 mi
  7. Scovel Memorial Presbyterian Church 0.4 mi
  8. St. Matthias Episcopal Church 0.4 mi
  9. King Solomon Baptist Church 0.5 mi

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Architect

Charles Noble

Architect. Designed the Lee Plaza (1927) and 2 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Charles Noble

More from Detroit in the 1920s

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. Rooftop of the Lee Plaza, an abandoned high rise building in Detroit, MI, 2016 Photo: RomanKahler, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Lee Plaza Hotel, Detroit Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Lee Plaza, one time hotel now vacant, West Grand Blvd, near Grand River in Detroit, Michigan, 2008 Photo: Mikerussell at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Lee Plaza in Detroit street level view of bricked up ground floor, 2008 Photo: Mikerussell at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. Lee Plaza in Detroit, 2008 Photo: Mikerussell at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, 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.