Historic Detroit

Every building in Detroit has a story — we're here to share it

Detroit Harbor Terminal Building

The 10-story Detroit Harbor/Marine Terminal warehouse opened in 1926 for storage of items coming off ships. It was designed by Albert Kahn and was made of reinforced concrete to support the weight of stored cargo. It was the largest warehouse on the Great Lakes when it opened on March 15, 1926.

Ownership of the port and buildings changed hands many times in the decades it was active, but the port and warehouse were finally closed down in 2003.

In 2005 the port was reopened but the former storage facility remained closed throughout. The north and east sides of the building have large painted advertisements for ferry service to Bob-Lo Island, an amusement park located in the Detroit River. The ferry service operated from an adjacent dock and was discontinued in the 1990s. The building is more widely recognized as the Boblo Island Warehouse or the Boblo Island Dock.

The south side of the building still reads "Detroit Harbor Terminals, Inc." which owned the warehouse from 1966 to 1976.

Demolition began on the building in March 2023, 97 years after it opened.

As of September 2023, the Detroit Harbor Terminal Building is has completely disappeared.

Last updated 30/09/2023