Penobscot; Buhl; Guardian Buildings three architectural masterpieces

Three spectacular skyscrapers, all designed by Wirt C. Rowland, anchor Downtown’s Finacial District. The magnificent 47-story Art Deco Penobscot opened in 1928 and was the tallest buidling in the United States outside Chicago and NYC. Named after a Native American tribe from Maine, the Penobscot Tower is connected to two older buildings comprising the Penobscot Block.

The Neo-Gothic Buhl Building with Romanesque accents opened in 1925 and is faced in cream-colored terra-cotta. The building stands atop what used to be the Savoyard Creek which was covered and turned into a sewer in 1836.

Entering the Guardian Building will elevate your senses, no matter how the day is treating you. Formerly the Union Trust Building, the breathtaking 40-story Art Deco and Art Moderne palace has an exterior comprised of brick, tile, terra cotta and limestone.The building’s lobby is stunning and will shock you and is lavishly adorned with mosaic and Pewabic and Rookwood tile. You must visit the Guardian if in Detroit.