Riverwalk Hotel Detroit
United States historic place
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Roberts Riverwalk Urban Resort Hotel, formerly the Parke-Davis Research Laboratory also once known as Building 55-Detroit Research,[3] is a defunct luxury hotel on the Detroit International Riverfront in Detroit, Michigan. The former research facility was redeveloped as a boutique luxury hotel in the 1980s. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for its historic significance as an early research laboratory.[1][2][4]
United StatesParke-Davis Research Laboratory | |
Omni Hotel Detroit, 2008 | |
 Interactive map | |
| Location | Detroit, Michigan United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°20′13″N 83°0′52″W |
| Built | 1873, 1902 |
| Architect | Donaldson and Meier, Albert Kahn |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001039 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1976[1] |
| Designated NHL | May 11, 1976[2] |
History
Parke-Davis moved its facilities to this location along the Detroit River in the 1870s to take advantage of the transportation provided by the river and nearby rail lines.[5] The company eventually built 26 still-extant buildings in the area; the Parke-Davis campus as a whole, now known as Stroh River Place, is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the most significant structure in the group, the Parke-Davis Research Laboratory, is individually recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
The Research Laboratory was built in 1902 after Parke-Davis relocated the Detroit Boat Club to Belle Isle.[6] The Detroit architectural firm of Donaldson & Meier designed the original building; later additions were designed by Albert Kahn.[6] The building is a three-story brick building measuring approximately 120 by 40 feet (37 by 12 m), and is typical example of public architecture of the period.[3]
Later history and current use
In 1979, Parke-Davis sold its Detroit complex, including the Research Laboratory, to the Stroh family (of Stroh Brewery Company).[6] The complex's redevelopment into River Place included the conversion of the Research Laboratory to a hotel, known as the River Place Inn at its opening,[7] designed by firm Sims–Varner.[8] Bruning Development Corp purchased the hotel from the Stroh family in 1993, and signed Grand Heritage Hotels to manage and brand the property.[citation needed]
In 1998, the property was acquired by Omni Hotels & Resorts, and rebranded as the Omni Hotel Detroit at River Place.[7] Omni closed the hotel in 2010, and it was acquired by St. Louis real estate developer Michael V. Roberts.[9] The hotel underwent a $5 million renovation, which included the addition of a new conference center, and reopened in May 2011 as the Roberts Riverwalk Hotel.[10]
In 2002, National Park Service staff recommended withdrawal of the site's landmark status due to loss of the building's historic integrity during the conversion.[11]
The hotel closed in the early 2020s, and was purchased by Bedrock Detroit in 2022.[12]
Significance
Gallery
Rear of the Parke-Davis lab, now the entrance.
Door facing Detroit River.
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