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Historic district, Midtown

Wayne State University Buildings

Photographed standing in 2008

Central High School in Detroit, Michigan. Later became the Old Main building at Wayne State University, 1904 Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Wayne State University Buildings has stood on Cass Avenue in Midtown. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Wayne State University Buildings

Wayne State University's Old Main seen from the top floor of Parking Structure 6 on a partly cloudy day, 2008 Photo: Del arte at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Mackenzie House on Cass Avenue, in Detroit, Michigan, 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Col. Frank J. Hecker House in Detroit, Michigan, United States, seen here from across Woodward Avenue, is listed on..., 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, 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 25, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

The Wayne State University Buildings is one of the places that gives Midtown its character.

It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Go see it at 4735-4841 Cass Avenue. Photos never get the scale right.

The Wayne State University historic district consists of three buildings on 4735-4841 Cass Avenue in Midtown Detroit, Michigan: the Mackenzie House (4735 Cass), Hilberry Theatre (4743 Cass), and Old Main (4841 Cass), all on the campus of Wayne State University. The buildings were designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1957 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Where it is

4735-4841 Cass Avenue

On this map

  1. Wayne State University Buildings This place
  2. Old Main 290 ft
  3. Warren--Prentis Historic District 410 ft
  4. Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center 430 ft
  5. Hilberry Theatre 450 ft
  6. Thompson Home 480 ft
  7. Sherbrooke Apartments 0.1 mi
  8. Mulford T. Hunter House 0.1 mi
  9. Mackenzie Hall (Webster Hall) 0.1 mi

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Around the block

It is in Midtown. 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. Central High School in Detroit, Michigan. Later became the Old Main building at Wayne State University, 1904 Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Wayne State University's Old Main seen from the top floor of Parking Structure 6 on a partly cloudy day, 2008 Photo: Del arte at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Mackenzie House on Cass Avenue, in Detroit, Michigan, 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. The Col. Frank J. Hecker House in Detroit, Michigan, United States, seen here from across Woodward Avenue, is listed on..., 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. Hilberry Theatre at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, 2006 Photo: Jtmichcock at the English-language 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.