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Building, Riverbend, since 1929

Vanity Ballroom Building

Photographed standing in 2010

The Vanity Ballroom as seen from Jefferson avenue in the fall of 2010 Photo: Albert duce, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened
1929
Style
Art Deco
Standing
97 years

Designed by Charles N. Agree

The Vanity Ballroom Building has stood on Newport St. in Riverbend since 1929, 97 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Vanity Ballroom Building

The Vanity Ballroom dance floor, 2010 Photo: Albert duce at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Vanity Ballroom Detroit MI Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is there now

Standing

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

The Vanity Ballroom Building opened in 1929, during the boom years when the auto industry turned Detroit into one of the fastest growing cities in America.

The design came from Charles N. Agree, working in Art Deco.

The National Register of Historic Places listed it in 1982.

Next time you are nearby, stop at 1024 Newport St and look up.

The Vanity Ballroom Building is a public building located at 1024 Newport Street (at Jefferson Avenue in the Jefferson-Chalmers Historic Business District) in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Timeline

  1. 1929 Built Designed by Charles N. Agree
  2. 1982 Listed on the National Register November 12, 1982
  3. 2026 Today 97 years and still standing

Where it is

1024 Newport St.

On this map

  1. Vanity Ballroom Building This place
  2. Carstens Elementary School 0.2 mi
  3. Vanity Ballroom 0.5 mi
  4. St. Columba Episcopal Church 0.5 mi
  5. Jefferson-Chalmers Historic Business District 0.5 mi
  6. Continental Motors 0.5 mi
  7. Savarine Hotel 0.5 mi
  8. Hudson Motor Car Co. 0.7 mi
  9. Defer Elementary School 0.8 mi

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Whittier Hotel, by Charles N. Agree Whittier Hotel, by Charles N. Agree. Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Charles N. Agree

Architect, 1897 to 1982. Designed the Whittier Hotel (1923) and 12 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Charles N. Agree

More from Detroit in the 1920s

Around the block

It is in Riverbend. See the neighborhood's homes, pros and story.

Photo credits

Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.

  1. The Vanity Ballroom as seen from Jefferson avenue in the fall of 2010 Photo: Albert duce, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. The Vanity Ballroom dance floor, 2010 Photo: Albert duce at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Vanity Ballroom Detroit MI Photo: Andrew Jameson, 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.