Building, Midtown, since 1905
Manhattan Apartments
Standing, closed
- Opened
- 1905
- Style
- Jacobethan
- Standing
- 121 years
Designed by Pollmar & Ropes
The Manhattan Apartments has stood on Second Ave. in Midtown since 1905, 121 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.
Manhattan Apartments today, from the street
What is there now
Standing, closed
- Closed Source: Historic Detroit
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
In 1905, during the boom years when the auto industry turned Detroit into one of the fastest growing cities in America, the Manhattan Apartments opened in Midtown.
Pollmar & Ropes drew the plans, working in Jacobethan.
Its doors are closed for now, but the building still stands.
Next time you are nearby, stop at 2968 Second Ave and look up.
Timeline
- 1905 Built Designed by Pollmar & Ropes
- 2026 Today Standing, closed
Where it is
2968 Second Ave.
On this map
- 1 Manhattan Apartments This place
- 2 Cromwell Flats 160 ft
- 3 Masonic Temple 340 ft
- 4 Standard Accident Insurance Co. Building 440 ft
- 5 Cass Park Historic District 0.1 mi
- 6 Fort Wayne Hotel 0.1 mi
- 7 Kresge Administration Building 0.2 mi
- 8 Kresge, S. S., World Headquarters 0.2 mi
- 9 The Clay School 0.2 mi
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Architect
Pollmar & RopesArchitecture firm. Designed the Roosevelt Hotel (1923) and 10 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Pollmar & Ropes
- Holmes Building 1902
- Gordon-Pagel Bakery 1907
- John A. McDonald House 1907
- Peter H. Zacharias House 1909
- Gustav Darmstaetter House 1911
- Harry E. Hunt House 1912
More from Detroit in the 1900s
-
Breitmeyer-Tobin Building
Building, built 1905, Beaux Arts, by Raseman & Fisher
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
![Charlevoix Hotel, [Hotel Fuller and Hotel Charlevoix, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4345-2224-thumb-6285d11b4c.jpg)
Charlevoix Hotel
Hotel, built 1905, Beaux Arts, by William S. Joy, demolished 2013
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
-
Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Building, built 1904, Neoclassical, by Albert Kahn
Photo: PDru2014 from Detroit, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
![Belle Isle Aquarium, [The Aquarium and conservatory, Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4284-2164-thumb-099cdc24f0.jpg)
Belle Isle Aquarium
Building, built 1904, Baroque-Beaux Arts, by Albert Kahn
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, 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
-
Ford Piquette Avenue Plant
Building, built 1904, Late Victorian, by Field, Hinchman & Smith
Photo: Jackdude101, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Around the block
It is in Midtown. See the neighborhood's homes, pros and story.
- Cromwell Flats Building, built 1905, Jacobethan, by Almon C. Varney 160 ft
-
Masonic Temple
House of worship, built 1926, Neo-Gothic, by George D. Mason
Photo: Carptrash at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
340 ft
- Standard Accident Insurance Co. Building Building, built 1920, Classical Revival, by Albert Kahn 440 ft
-
Cass Park Historic District
Historic district
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.1 mi
- Fort Wayne Hotel Hotel, built 1926, by Weston & Ellington 0.1 mi
- Kresge Administration Building Building, built 1930, Art Deco, by Albert Kahn 0.2 mi
-
Kresge, S. S., World Headquarters
Building, Art Deco, by Albert Kahn
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.2 mi
-
The Clay School
School
Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.2 mi
Photo credits
Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.
- Manhattan 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.