The Wurlitzer Building

Information

The Wurlitzer Building, standing at the corner of John R and Broadway, is a reminder of Detroit’s musical legacy. Built in 1926, the 14-story building served as a showroom and offices for the Wurlitzer company, a well-known organ, jukebox, and musical instrument manufacturer.

As the much more detailed article at BuildingsofDetroit.com notes, the Wurlitzer underwent several renovations, adding more showroom space, a repair shop, and a small auditorium.

Wurlitzer left in the 1970’s, with the remaining tenants leaving shortly thereafter. The building closed for good in 1982.

Today the Wurlitzer Building cuts a lonely figure on the Detroit skyline: bracketed on either sides by the vacant Metropolitan and Broderick buildings, occasionally shedding bricks and hunks of façade. The current owner has no plans for renovation, and there are serious concerns about the structural stability of the building. The interior has been thoroughly gutted, and is home to two rival groups of taggers, who fill the walls with long, profane diatribes about the morality of graffiti.