4400 St. Aubin Street
Central Savings Bank Branch, Hudson Products Company, Lillie R. Gresham Community Education Center
In March 1903, the Central Savings Bank of Detroit bought the property at the northeast corner of St. Aubin and Canfield, pictured here. The structure would open in August 1904 and was designed by Almon C. Varney. Later that year, the same architect would pull permits for an addition to the structure, which would be completed in 1905.
The Central Savings Bank of Detroit would eventually expand to have multiple locations, including a central office in the Majestic Building downtown and branches at Grand River & 14th, St. Aubin & Canfield, Grand River & Grand Boulevard, Jefferson & Dickerson, Forest & Woodward, and more.
Numerous banks were based in Metro-Detroit in the early 1900s, but not nearly as many made it through the Great Depression and World War II. Although the Central Savings Bank of Detroit had a solid start, it wouldn’t survive, eventually merging with another institution.
In 1937, an advert was in the Detroit Free Press for the structure pictured here. It said there were two brick stores with separate heating that used to be a bank branch. It was listed for $12,000 with 20% down to purchase the property through the First National Bank, which amounts to roughly $260K with just over $50K down to complete the purchase in 2023.
In 1949, a public auction was held to sell the assets of the Hudson Products Company, Inc., which had called the structure pictured here home. A wide variety of items were up for sale, including lathes, drill presses, grinders, and other machinery. A notice in the Detroit Free Press for bad checks in 1963 listed the company still at 4400 St. Aubin.
After that, I’m not sure what happened to the building. It eventually became the Lillie R. Gresham Community Education Center, which offered tutoring and GED prep and had a computer lab with internet access. By the mid-2000s, the community center was closed and starting to be vandalized. By 2015, the wood paneling was gone, revealing the original brickwork.
Since then, the roof has collapsed, and the back of the structure has fallen over completely. For ages, the building was an available Motor City Match Property, meaning that it was available with funding for new business owners. Still, nothing ever materialized, most likely due to the work required to make this structure useful again.
I’ve always admired this section of McDougall-Hunt. Walking around the neighborhood reminds me of exploring a quaint, historic town in Europe. St. Albertus is simply stunning, the mixed-use properties along St. Aubin are picturesque, and there’s dense housing nearby, thanks to the St. Aubin Square Apartments. It’s hard to imagine it today, but the surrounding area has great potential. If I were in charge, I’d call it Albertus Square.
Unfortunately, 4400 St. Aubin Street will probably be demolished. It would take nothing short of a miracle to save it; however, in Detroit, I’ve learned that anything’s possible. Here’s to hoping!
