Lost building, Detroit, 1929 to 1998
YWCA Central Branch
Demolished in 1998
- Opened
- 1929
- Torn down
- 1998
Designed by Albert Kahn
YWCA Central Branch stood in Detroit from 1929 until 1998. Here is what it was, who made it and where to find the spot today.
Then and now
What stands there now
Today
Opened 2000, Stadium
Detroit's YWCA Central Branch, designed by Albert Kahn, stood on this spot for 69 years. It came down 28 years ago. In 2000, Comerica Park, a stadium, opened on the spot.
Comerica Park is an open-air baseball stadium in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It has been the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB) since its opening in 2000. It was built in the retro-classic style, and has a seating capacity of 41,083.
- 1929 Opens YWCA Central Branch
- 1989 Closes YWCA Central Branch
- 1998 Comes down YWCA Central Branch
- 2000 Rises Comerica Park
- 2026 Today Comerica Park
How we know what stands there
- OpenStreetMap Comerica Park, stadium at the map point
Checked October 25, 2026. We never guess: a site no source speaks for shows no answer.
What is there now
Comerica Park
- Rose on the site Stadium Source: OpenStreetMap
- YWCA Central Branch came down Source: Historic Detroit
We checked Wikidata, Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Rebuild Detroit's landmark records and the county parcel records on October 25, 2026.
The story
In 1929, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top, YWCA Central Branch went up.
Albert Kahn drew the plans.
It is gone now, demolished in 1998, and the map pin below marks where it stood.
Timeline
- 1929 Built Designed by Albert Kahn
- 1989 Closed
- 1998 Demolished
- 2026 Today 28 years since it came down
Where it is
2230 Witherell St.
On this map
- 1 YWCA Central Branch This place
- 2 Madison Theatre Building 360 ft
- 3 Wolverine Hotel 420 ft
- 4 Detroit College of Law 440 ft
- 5 St. John's Episcopal Church 480 ft
- 6 Comerica Park 510 ft
- 7 YMCA (Downtown Branch) 0.1 mi
- 8 Grand Circus Park Historic District (Boundary Increase) 0.1 mi
- 9 Fillmore Detroit 0.1 mi
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Architect
Albert KahnAmerican architect, 1869 to 1942. Designed the General Motors Building (1922) and 114 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Albert Kahn
More from Detroit in the 1920s
-
Ambassador Bridge
Structure, built 1929, by Jonathan Jones
Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
David Stott Building
Skyscraper, built 1929, Art Deco, by John Donaldson
Photo: Einar Einarsson Kvara aka Carptrash, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Brodhead Naval Armory
Building, built 1930, Art Deco/Art Moderne, by Stratton & Hyde
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Cooley High School
School, built 1928, Mediterranean Revival, by Donaldson & Meier, demolished 2026
Photo: Chuckjav, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Broderick Tower
Structure, built 1927, Beaux Arts, by Louis Kamper
Photo: St8fan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Cadillac Tower
Structure, built 1927, Late Gothic Revival, by Bonnah & Chaffee
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Around the block
-
![Madison Theatre Building, [View of Madison Theatre and Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4627-2357-thumb-b2374e7d74.jpg)
Madison Theatre Building
Theater, built 1917, Neoclassical, by C. Howard Crane
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
360 ft
- Wolverine Hotel Hotel, built 1921, Italian Renaissance, by L.P. Rowe, demolished 1997 420 ft
- Detroit College of Law School, built 1937, Art Moderne, by George D. Mason, demolished 1997 440 ft
-
St. John's Episcopal Church
House of worship, built 1861, Gotchic Revival, by Anderson & Jordan
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
480 ft
-
Comerica Park
Stadium, built 2000, by Populous
Photo: City of Detroit, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
510 ft
- YMCA (Downtown Branch) Building, built 1909, by Donaldson & Meier, demolished 1997 0.1 mi
-
Grand Circus Park Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Historic district
Photo: Mikerussell at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.1 mi
-
Fillmore Detroit
Building, built 1925, Renaissance Revival, by C. Howard Crane
Photo: Mikerussell at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.1 mi
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.