The northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Griswold Street was home to the eight-story Home Savings Bank, designed by Mortimer L. Smith & Son. The bank opened shop there on May 31, 1894. Among the other notable tenants were Clarence M. Burton’s Burton Abstract & Title Co. Burton is considered the granddaddy of Detroit historians, and his collection was turned into the Burton Collection at the Detroit Public Library.

On April 25, 1913, stockholders of Home Savings Bank and the Wayne County Savings Bank approved a merger. At that time, it was announced that a new, larger building would be built on the site of the old Home Savings. Their new home was designed by Donaldson & Meier and opened Dec. 20, 1915.

More on this building coming soon.