5705 West Fort Street
Detroit Savings Bank Branch, Detroit Bank and Trust, George H. International Corp., Community Health and Social Services Center
This is the third structure I’ve documented that is identical to this one. So far, all three were complete by 1920. The design was completed by Albert Kahn’s offices by the capable hands of Wirt C. Rowland, and the structures were originally Detroit Savings Bank branches. Each went down a unique path to make it to the modern day, which makes them all special, this one included. Something other than the architect that ties all three together is bank robberies.
By 1959, the bank operated under the Detroit Bank and Trust name. On Wednesday, March 18th, two men walked into 5705 West Fort Street, pictured here, and went to separate tellers with identical notes. It read, “I have a gun under my coat. I want 5,000 dollars put in this bag fast. Make one bad move and I will kill you.”
Mrs. Marilyn Wood, 22, handed over $1,400 of the bank’s cash, and Gerald Parkas, 22, coughed up $200. The total was later reported by the Detroit Free Press as a $1,824 heist. An hour later, another bank on West Warren was hit, but Detroit Police doubted a connection between the two. March 18th was the third Wednesday of the month.
On Wednesday, April 15, 1959, just under a month later, the bank was robbed again. At the time, there were eight employees and three customers inside tending to business. This time, the Detroit Bank and Trust was out of $5,292. Luckily, nobody was hurt. April 15th was the third Wednesday of the month. I don’t know if there’s something in that, but I noticed it while researching this piece.
I’d guess that this structure closed in the mid-1980s. In 1989, a rally was held here for John Conyers, a candidate for mayor. I’m unsure what was inside the former bank building at that time. Regardless, it didn’t prove lucky for Conyers, who was defeated by Coleman Young, receiving just 18% of the democratic vote in the primary. He would run again in 1993, coming in fourth place in the primary.
At some point before February 1995, the George H. International Corporation moved into the structure. This business is puzzling to me. On the state level, it was founded in 1984 and went defunct by 1989. However, there are adverts for it in the paper between 1995 and 1998. The company was looking to hire people for its exporting business that specialized in glass for architecture. The last resident agent for the company was George T. Achukutty of Hamtramck, who may have been a dentist.
The sign for the company was still up until around 2010. The back door is wide open in the 2009 Google Street View, but the interior looks intact.
In May 2000, the structure was listed in the Detroit Free Press’ recently sold section. According to the paper, it went for $50,000.
According to online records, the Community Health and Social Services Center has owned the property since around 2011. Their headquarters is a stone’s throw down Fort Street from the bank and offers health care for Detroiters and the city’s underserved communities. Established in Southwest Detroit in 1970, they’ve been helping un-and-underinsured Detroiters for over a half-century.
Initially, I was skeptical about their ownership. I’m unsure why they own a historic bank building designed by famed Detroit-based architect Albert Kahn. I understand buying property near their headquarters—that makes sense, but what will they do with it? Will it end up demolished to expand the nonprofit’s footprint in the community?
Nope. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. Whereas this doesn’t prevent the structure from being demolished, it does offer the owner the opportunity to get tax credits for work completed on the building. This is a step in the right direction for the former bank building.
Hopefully, we’ll see movement here soon.
The other identical structures I’ve documented are 5601 West Warren Avenue and 10355 Hamilton Avenue.
