Encyclopedia Of Detroit

The Wayne State University Historic District consists of three buildings on Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan: the David Mackenzie House, the Hilberry Theatre, and Old Main, all of which are located on the campus of Wayne State University. The district was designated as a Michigan State Historic Site in 1957 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The David Mackenzie House is a Queen Anne style residence built in 1895 that was originally the home of David Mackenzie, principal of Central High School and founder of the College of the City of Detroit. The building was saved from demolition by a group of Wayne State students in the mid-1970s, which resulted in the creation of the new organization, Preservation Wayne. The Mackenzie House served as the offices of Preservation Wayne (now Preservation Detroit) and the University Cultural Center Association until April of 2019 when Wayne State University began the process of moving the Mackenzie house to a new location down the street in anticipation of its planned renovation of expansion of the next-door Hilberry Theatre. The new $65 million Hilberry Gateway Performance center, scheduled to be completed in September of 2022, will also include the Gretchen Valade Jazz Center.

The Hilberry Theatre, built from 1916-1917, originally served as the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Detroit. The building was sold to Wayne State University in 1961 and was subsequently remodeled into a 500-seat theater which was then named in honor of Clarence Hilberry, the fourth president of Wayne State University.

Old Main, designed and built from 1895-1896 in the Romanesque Revival style, was originally used to house the city of Detroit’s Central High School. In 1917, it also became the home of the Detroit Junior College, which was replaced by the College of the City of Detroit (CCD) in 1923. In 1926, Central High School moved out of the building, and CCD became the sole occupant by 1928. Old Main has been a focal point of the Wayne State University campus since 1933 and has undergone renovations in 1937 and 1994.

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