Grosse Pointe Shores Village Hall / Grosse Pointe Shores Village Hall

The Village of Grosse Pointe Shores incorporated in 1911. After a few years of holding meetings in local homes, the village council purchased this property to build a village hall. Albert Kahn, who later designed the Fisher Building in Detroit, created plans for the hall. The village council held its first meeting here in 1915. The hall originally housed local government offices, including the police and fire stations. It also served as a community center, where residents could enjoy motion pictures, town dances and the first public library in the Grosse Pointes. In 1929, the upper level was converted into apartments for public safety officers. In the 1960s, fire doors were expanded to accommodate new fire trucks and office renovations modernized the building’s interior. In 1982, after the ceiling of the village superintedent’s office fell in, structural engineers decided that the village hall was unsafe for continued use. The council hired architect Robert C. Wakely to design the restoration and renovation project. In addition to fixing structural issues, Wakely and Associates made the building barrier-free, including the hall’s new elevator tower, staircase and side entrance. Wakely maintained Albert Kahn’s structural design and style, creating an addition that could stand on its own while fitting in with the restored arches and brickwork of the original structure. After its completed renovation in 1984, the village hall received four architectural awards for success in preserving historic integrity while implementing necessary changes.