Famous people's places / Detroit – Downtown
Detroit Free Press Building
Closed – archive entry · 1998
Albert Kahn's Art Deco tower that served as the Detroit Free Press headquarters until 1998, now reopened as The Press/321 apartments and offices.
01 / The story of this place
Make time for these
The Detroit Free Press Building, an Art Deco tower at 321 West Lafayette Boulevard, was designed by Albert Kahn and completed in 1925 as the newspaper's headquarters, its entrance guarded by limestone statues of Commerce and Communication. Mystery novelist Lilian Jackson Braun, creator of the 'Cat Who...' series, worked here as a Free Press writer and editor from 1948 to 1978, including years running the paper's 'Good Living' section. Sportswriter and bestselling author Mitch Albom joined the Free Press in 1985 and worked out of the building until the paper vacated it in 1998, after merging its business operations with the rival Detroit News. The building sat empty for nearly two decades before developer Bedrock renovated it; it reopened in 2020 as The Press/321, with apartments, offices, restaurants and retail space.
- Albert Kahn–designed Art Deco tower, completed in 1925
- Detroit Free Press headquarters until the paper left in 1998
- Mystery writer Lilian Jackson Braun worked here from 1948 to 1978
- Mitch Albom joined the Free Press staff here in 1985
- Reopened in 2020 as The Press/321 apartments and offices
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 5
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Mitch Albom born 1958 · author, newspaper columnist, radio host, philanthropist
Worked here
The Albert Kahn-designed home of the Free Press when Albom joined in 1985; the paper left in 1998, and the building reopened in 2020 as The Press/321 apartments and offices.
- Lilian Jackson Braun 1913–2011 · mystery novelist, newspaper editor
Worked here
The Albert Kahn-designed Free Press headquarters where she edited Good Living; the paper left in 1998 and the building reopened in 2020 as The Press/321 apartments and offices.
- Kurt Luedtke 1939–2020 · journalist, screenwriter
Worked here
Albert Kahn's 1925 home of the Detroit Free Press, where Luedtke rose to executive editor. The paper moved out in 1998; the building reopened in 2020 as The Press/321 with apartments, offices and shops.
- Robin Givhan born 1964 · fashion critic, journalist
Worked here
The Free Press headquarters during her roughly seven years at the paper; now The Press/321 apartments and offices.
- Edgar Guest 1881–1959 · poet, newspaper columnist, radio and TV host
Worked here
The Free Press headquarters from 1925, where Guest wrote his column for his last three decades; the paper left in 1998 and the building reopened as The Press/321 in 2020.
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-25
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
We have no published upcoming events linked to this place yet. That does not mean the venue has no events; check its official calendar too.
Source and former website ↗