David Broderick Tower

Built in 1928 as the 34-story Eaton Tower, the David Broderick building became the second-tallest skyscraper in Michigan at the time. Located at the corner of Woodward and Grand Circus Park, the Broderick Tower along with the David Whitney Building across the street serve as a grand entrance into the Lower Woodward Commercial District. The building housed medical offices for several decades but emptied of tenants during the last decades of the twentieth century. KDG served as architect and historic consultant for the adaptive reuse and preservation of the historic tower.

KDG identified historic elements to be retained and restored and oversaw the restoration of the façade and interior spaces. The historic lobby was mostly intact, albeit damaged, behind prior modernization work. The lobby features rich white travertine floors, black marble walls, richly detailed coffered ceilings and decorative bronze elevator doors. Non-historic assemblies from the modernization were removed and historic materials were restored and cleaned to bring the lobby back to its original grandeur.

Once functionally and physically obsolete, the Broderick tower now houses prime space in the heart of Detroit. KDG worked with the consulting engineers on coordination of all new modernized MEP systems throughout the building. New HVAC equipment on the roof of the adjacent building services renovated restaurant space at the ground floor, offices on the second through fourth floors and 127 apartments across the upper floors.