Dreamtroit, 1331 Holden

Kraemer Design Group wrote a National Register nomination for the factory complex located at 1331 Holden Street in Detroit. The building was listed on the National Register in 2020. The Warren Motor Car Company is significant for its association with the early design and manufacture of automobiles in the city of Detroit in 1909. Just a few years later, this was the first factory acquired by Henry Leland when he founded the Lincoln Motor Company with a goal of building airplane engines for the U.S. government during World War One. Called “Liberty Motors” the factory was the location where the first engine prototype was produced in 1917. Ford Motor Company moved into the building in 1922 to produce Model T sedans. Later tenants included a refrigeration company, a grocery wholesaler, and Recycle Here! a recycling center with artist studio spaces.
Through selective demolition and historic restoration, including full façade restoration, large historic replica factory windows, and exposed timber and concrete structure within, the Warren Motor Car Company will be converted into a mix of affordable multi-family residential units and gallery space. An emphasis will be placed on fostering a greater community of makers and artists who have had a significant presence in the building’s recent history. The build out will also include a new facility for Recycle Here! who is a current tenant and significant part of the neighborhood.