Did you notice the intricate details? That is the Bankers Trust Co Building. It stands as a little secret treasure among its towering neighbors in Detroit’s Financial District. I will tell you its story.
The Bankers Trust Co Building’s story begins in 1925. Architect Wirt C. Rowland of Smith, Hinchman and Grylls designed this Italian Romanesque-style bank. It was a dramatic time for the neighborhood’s development. The area transformed from wood-framed offices to taller steel towers. While other banks built skyscrapers, Bankers Trust chose a modest two-story building. It formally opened December 22, 1925.
Though smaller than its neighbors the Bankers Trust Co Building makes up for it with romantic charm. Rose and beige terra cotta blend with bronze and marble accents. Exuberant carvings and reliefs cover the Congress and Shelby facades. The angled entrance faces the intersection. A modern glass door is enclosed in a bronze outer door. It is framed by a massive round arch. Marble columns topped by lions flank the arch. They hold shields with insignias of keys. Carvings of dogs sphinxes and plants decorate the shafts and molding. A Byzantine-style wheel window filled the tympanum. “Bankers Trust Company” is spelled out above the door.
Full-story arches with bronze-framed windows span both facades of the Bankers Trust Co Building. A modern side entrance is located within the arch. A bandcourse features chevron and Greek key patterns. It is incorporated into cubiform capitals atop clustered arch supports. Lions perch on each cluster. A second-story arcade contains pairs of bronze-framed windows. They alternate with blind arches. The blind arches contain geometric medallions called opus sectile. More opus sectile stylized eagles and grotesques fill the spandrels and tympanums. The elaborately carved cornice culminates in a flat roof.
A three-story addition was attached in 1960. It has alternating concrete and glass panels. The south elevation is clad in beige brick. It represents a modest application of International Style elements.
Between 1914 and 1929 the number of Detroit banks and trusts more than doubled. Bankers Trust Company of Detroit was one of nine trust companies to form. It organized May 3 1917. It officially opened May 12 1917. The starting capital was $300000. Founding officers included Arthur Webster Frank W. Hubbard Edwin Denby Nathaniel Bates Ackley and Walter C. Brandon.
Bankers Trust Co Building first offices were in the State Savings Bank Building. Rowland’s use of Italian Romanesque is interesting. The style is uncommon in Detroit and rare for banks. It deviates from Neoclassical or Renaissance styles. The Romanesque Revival had a second wave of popularity in the 1920s. Architects were interested in more direct historical references. They were drawn to regional Italian Romanesque. It incorporates more exotic Byzantine and Muslim influences. It features marble-faced exteriors embellished by ornate stone sculptural reliefs. Common symbols suggest opulence wealth and security.
The Bankers Trust Company was one of 10 Detroit banks to survive the Depression. On November 30 1948 Bankers Trust Company and Equitable Trust Company merged. They operated out of the Equitable Trust Company’s headquarters. On October 26 1951 Detroit Trust and Bankers-Equitable Trust consolidated as the Detroit Trust Company. By 1960 a series of mergers made it one of the largest banks in the United States.
When the Bankers Trust vacated its building in 1948 Merrill Lynch moved in. In 1960 the southern addition was built. By the 1990s a McDonald’s and later a Greek diner occupied the building. It has since housed nightclubs.
The building has undergone several exterior alterations. A second entrance was added. A modern metal and glass door has replaced the original revolving door. Blue lightbulbs are in the wheel window. The original bronze letters were lost. The 1960 addition does not impose on the original’s character. Both are listed as contributing buildings within the Detroit Financial District Historic District. On March 4 2015 the building was sold for $3 million.
So next time you are passing by take a look at this building. A two-story testament to Detroit’s financial history and architectural charm. A proud survivor.