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Building, Detroit, since 1923

Washington Boulevard Building

Standing and open

[Washington Boulevard, Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Opened
1923
Standing
103 years

Designed by Louis Kamper

The Washington Boulevard Building has stood on Washington Blvd. in Detroit since 1923, 103 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Washington Boulevard Building

[Washington Blvd., Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Washington Boulevard, Detroit, Mich. Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress

What is there now

New construction on the lot

  • Add Addition Use permit Per SLU2024-00163 Add Additional Use of SDM to existing Restaurant, w/ Carry-Out & Retail in a 1,827 sq ft Tenant Space , estimated at $1,000 Source: City and county building permits
  • Fire Alarm permit Addition of Elevator Capture with cross tie to the existing fire alarm system Source: City and county building permits
  • Standing and open Source: Historic Detroit
  • Mechanical permit HTG 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 1923, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top, the Washington Boulevard Building opened.

Credit the design to Louis Kamper.

It is still open, and still part of daily life in the city.

Next time you are nearby, stop at 1200 Washington Blvd and look up.

Timeline

  1. 1923 Built Designed by Louis Kamper
  2. 2026 3 building permits $1,000 in declared work, the latest September 18
  3. 2026 Today New construction on the lot

Where it is

1200 Washington Blvd.

On this map

  1. Washington Boulevard Building This place
  2. Chancery Building 130 ft
  3. Malcomson Building 140 ft
  4. Washington Boulevard Historic District 170 ft
  5. St. Aloysius Catholic Church (old) 180 ft
  6. Book Tower 230 ft
  7. Farwell Building 240 ft
  8. Cadillac Hotel 260 ft
  9. Michigan State Capitol 280 ft

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Col. Frank J. Hecker House, by Louis Kamper Col. Frank J. Hecker House, by Louis Kamper. Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Louis Kamper

American architect, 1861 to 1953. Designed the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel (1924) and 37 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Louis Kamper

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. [Washington Boulevard, Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  2. [Washington Blvd., Detroit, Mich.] Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
  3. Washington Boulevard, Detroit, Mich. Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress

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.