Historic Detroit

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

Detroit Public Schools Book Depository

The Roosevelt Warehouse, also known as the former Detroit Public Schools Book Depository is located on 2231 Dalzelle Street, across from the Michigan Central Station.

It was initially used as a Post Office but after the post office relocated, the Detroit Public Schools bought the building to store their excess and future school supplies. After a fire in 1987, the Detroit Public Schools abandoned the building leaving everything from sports equipment to crayons behind. Even undamaged school items were just left behind.

The building was then scrapped of metals and heavily vandalized to a point that in 2001 permits were taken out for demolition but the demolition was never executed.

In 2018, the Ford Motor Company bought the Book Depository along with the Michigan Central Station and as part of its Michigan Central innovation district, the building will be a mixed use space with "New Lab" as the first major tenant in the building.