Detroit Architects: Maurice Herman Finkel (May 1, 1888–March 15, 1950)

Maurice Herman Finkel (1888–1950) was one of the 20^th century’s most prolific yet rarely mentioned Detroit-based architects, as well as a respected Yiddish theater actor.

A native of Bessarabia (formerly part of the Russian Empire), Finkel immigrated to the United States as a child with his family and lived in New York for a brief time before relocating to Detroit as an adult after earning his architecture degree at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in Manhattan, New York in 1913.

Once in Detroit, he furthered his studies at the University of Michigan prior to starting his career in 1915, which saw him have a major impact on Detroit’s commercial and entertainment architecture.

For proof of this, look no further than the 40 theaters Finkel designed across the Midwest, along with numerous apartments, houses, and iconic landmarks such as the Art Deco Michigan Theater (1926) and the Max Jacob House at 451 W. Kirby in the Historic Midtown District, commissioned by automobile industry executive Max Jacob and one of the four surviving pre-Wayne State residences.

In fact, Finkel played such a major role in shaping Detroit’s architectural scene in the early 1900s that three of his commissions are listed in the National Register of Historic Places:

• The Ossian H. Sweet House (1919)
• A large-scale theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan (1928)
• The Michigan Theatre located in Jackson, Michigan (1930)

In short, Finkel’s catalog of work exemplifies the creative architectural energy that helped shape Detroit during its golden age – a legacy of greatness that lives on through his son, George Finkel, an Emmy winner (3X) and respected TV sports producer.

An architect equally comfortable creating projects rooted in spectacle and scale as well as smaller residences showcasing refined domestic comfort and livable sophistication, it’s no wonder he’s considered one of the best Detroit designers the city has ever seen.