Park Shelton - Current Photos
Park Shelton
Looking up the South side facade
The south facade of the Park Shelton as seen from the DIA
Close-up of the roof line ornamentation
Opening in 1926 as the Wardell Apartment Hotel, it was intended for extended stays, providing the most luxurious furnishings and exquisite dining in all of Detroit.
A vintage postcard boasted: “The Wardell Apartment Hotel: The Best Home Address in Detroit.”
The Wardell was purchased by Sheraton Hotels in the 1943 and became the Wardell-Sheraton.
Around this time, Sheraton had a popular hotel in New York, the Park Sheraton. To gain name recognition, the Wardell’s name was changed in December of 1951 to the Park Sheraton.
While many of the city’s old hotels were either demolished or abandoned, the Park Shelton dodged this fate thanks largely to its deluxe style and prime location in the heart of Detroit’s Cultural Center.
During the 1950s or ’60s, the building’s rooftop cornice was removed in an attempt to modernize the hotel’s appearance.
Nine months later, Sheraton Hotels sold the building to New Yorker Louis Schleiffer. Having to change the “Sheraton” name, it is assumed Schleiffer chose “Shelton”, as it was similar. The name stuck. This images shows some front lobby detail as seen in April 2023.
Lobby area during Holiday season
Lobby area during Holiday season
South facade
The Park Shelton with the Hellenic Museum on the right.
The Park Shelton photographed from a distance - July 2023