DETROIT—Detroit-based Kraemer Design Group (KDG) has announced that it is on track to complete the architecture, interior design, and historic consulting of the David Whitney Building in downtown Detroit that will reopen as a mixed-use facility, featuring the Aloft Detroit at the David Whitney hotel in December. KDG Principal Bob Kraemer made the announcement.
The David Whitney Building, built in 1915 to the design of famed architectural firm Daniel Burnham & Co., was once regarded as one of the most iconic skyscrapers in the Midwest. The 19-story Neo-Renaissance building has undergone a two-year, $94.5 million historic renovation that has completely restored both interior and exterior architectural elements, including the signature four-story atrium.
The 136-room boutique Aloft Detroit at the David Whitney hotel, opening December 11, will occupy the lower floors and 105 residential apartments will occupy the upper floors. The iconic building will also feature the Grand Cirque Brasserie — a high-end restaurant, 6,670 square feet of meeting and banquet spaces and ground-level retail.
“The David Whitney Building is a crown jewel in downtown Detroit,” said Kraemer. “We have been very careful to preserve the same sense of grandeur that it once evoked and instill a new found sense of pride in the Whitney, celebrating its classical architectural features while repurposing the space so it can once again be a focal point of the city.”
“We’ve completed designs for numerous other hotels across the country, but the Aloft Detroit has afforded us the opportunity to showcase our home city in a unique and beautiful way, juxtaposing old with new, all while maintaining Starwood’s established brand standards,” said Heather McKeon, interiors director at KDG.
