Theodore Levin United States Courthouse

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The Theodore Levin United States Courthouse (also known as the Detroit Federal Building) is a large high-rise courthouse and office building located at 231 West Lafayette Boulevard in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. The building is named after the late Theodore Levin, a lawyer and United States District Court judge. This building occupies an entire block in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, bordered by Shelby Street, Washington Boulevard, West Fort Street, and West Lafayette Boulevard.

The building was constructed in 1932, and finished in 1934. It stands at 10 storeys in height, with its top floor at 50 metres (150 feet) from the first floor entrance, with the roof being 56.1 metres, or 184 feet in height from the top of the roof to the streets below. The building was designed in the Art Deco and art moderne styles of architecture, incorproating granite and limestone into the structure. The main facade is limestone, above a polished black stone.

The building occupies a full office block, girdled by the following streets: Shelby Street (east), Washington Boulevard (west), West Fort Street (south), and West Lafayette Boulevard (north).

Inside the building, there is an open-center court above the second floor. The building contains relief sculptures of eagles and emblems above the entrance, which symbolize the building's governmental function (as a courthouse).

[edit] History

Before the courthouse was constructed in 1932, the site was the former home of Fort Lernoult (later Fort Shelby) and the 1897 US Post Office, Courthouse and Custom House. Parts of the remains from the 1897 Courthouse can be found in the US District Courtroom, Room 733.

[edit] Alternate names

The building is also known by other names, such as: Detroit Federal Building, Detroit Custom House, Detroit Post Office.

[edit] External links

• Google Maps location of Theodore Levin United States Courthouse (the large square building with a small courtyard in the middle)
• Theodore Levin United States Courthouse at Emporis.com
• SkyscraperPage.com's profile on the Theodore Levin United States Courthouse

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