Hotel Statler

01 / The story of this place

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The Hotel Statler opened in 1915 on Washington Boulevard at Grand Circus Park, the half-moon park at the north edge of downtown. Designed by George B. Post, it started with 800 rooms and grew to 1,000 a year later, part of Ellsworth Statler's chain of modern business hotels. In October 1926 Harry Houdini, born Weisz Erik in Budapest, was staying here while he played the Garrick Theatre; after collapsing he was taken to Grace Hospital, where he died on October 31. The hotel became the Statler-Hilton in January 1958, the Detroit Hilton in 1969 and the Detroit Heritage Hotel in 1974, but closed in 1975 as downtown declined. It stood empty for three decades and was demolished in 2005. A new building, City Club Apartments CBD Detroit, opened on the site on June 17, 2021, with 288 apartments.

1. Opened in 1915 with 800 rooms, expanded to 1,000 a year later
2. Houdini's hotel during his final Detroit engagement in October 1926
3. Later the Statler-Hilton, Detroit Hilton and Detroit Heritage Hotel
4. Closed in 1975; demolished in 2005
5. Site now occupied by City Club Apartments (opened 2021)