Building, Detroit
Pontchartrain Club / Town House Apartments
Still standing, photographed 2022
Designed by Wirt C. Rowland
The Pontchartrain Club / Town House Apartments has stood on First Street in Detroit. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.
More photos of Pontchartrain Club / Town House Apartments
What is there now
Standing
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 Pontchartrain Club / Town House Apartments is one of the places that gives Detroit its character.
Wirt C. Rowland drew the plans.
It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Next time you are nearby, stop at 1511 First Street and look up.
Town Residences, formerly the Town Apartments, is a high-rise apartment building located at 1511 First Street (at the corner of First Street and Bagley Avenue) in Downtown Detroit, Michigan.
Where it is
1511 First Street
On this map
- 1 Pontchartrain Club / Town House Apartments This place
- 2 Town Residences Next door
- 3 Salvation Army Citadel 350 ft
- 4 Leland Hotel 400 ft
- 5 Morgan Hotel 430 ft
- 6 AT&T Michigan Headquarters 450 ft
- 7 Detroit Times Building 0.1 mi
- 8 Wish Tree 0.1 mi
- 9 Brunswick Hotel 0.1 mi
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Architect
Wirt C. RowlandAmerican architect, 1878 to 1946. Designed the Guardian Building (1929) and 11 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Wirt C. Rowland
Around the block
- Town Residences Building, built 1953, Art Deco, by Wirt C. Rowland Next door
- Salvation Army Citadel Building, built 1906, by Harry W. Chamberlin, demolished 350 ft
-
Leland Hotel
Hotel, built 1927, Italian Renaissance, by Cornelius W. Rapp
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
400 ft
- Morgan Hotel Hotel, built 1866, Italianate, demolished 1929 430 ft
-
AT&T Michigan Headquarters
Skyscraper, built 1919, by Smith, Hinchman & Grylls
Photo: Mikerussell at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
450 ft
- Detroit Times Building Building, built 1929, Art Deco, by Albert Kahn, demolished 1978 0.1 mi
- Wish Tree Building, built 2000, Avant garde, by Yoko Ono 0.1 mi
- Brunswick Hotel Hotel, built 1890, by John Scott, demolished 1935 0.1 mi
Photo credits
Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.
- Pontchartrain Club-Town House Apartments in Detroit, MI, 2016 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Town Apartments in Detroit, Michigan, 2016 Photo: Mx. Granger, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Town Apartments in Detroit, 2022 Photo: JJonahJackalope, 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.