This nine-unit set of rowhomes in Detroit’s Piety Hill neighborhood was built in 1904-1905 in what was then the northern reaches of the city. They are also a reminder of how this stretch of Woodward was once home to a number of homes before giving way to commercial development.
The townhomes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the North Woodward Congregational Church Historic District, having been added Aug. 3, 1982.
Developer William R. Penny built the terrace on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Gladstone Street, hiring the architectural firm Field, Hinchman & Smith to come up with the design. Penny built a number of residential properties in the city at the turn of the century, and also acted as a landlord. A permit for the project was issued Oct. 17, 1904, and cited an estimated cost of $20,000, or about $730,000 in 2025 valuation, when adjusted for inflation.
Two units face Woodward, and the other seven fronting on Gladstone.
In 1921, the townhomes were bought by the North Congregational Church in what can be considered an early example of faith-based community development. The rentals of the units brought in additional revenue for the church.
Three decades later, in 1953, the church and townhomes were sold to the St. John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME), which continued to lease the units. However, by the 1990s and nearing 100 years old, the row houses were in need of serious repairs that the church couldn’t afford.
In 1992, the church transferred them to the Edmonds-Carr Nonprofit Housing Corp., a community outreach organization that is under St. John CME, but operates separately. Six years later, in May 1998, Edmonds-Carr formed the Woodward-Gladstone Limited Dividend Housing Association (LHDA) to redevelop the property, its first such undertaking. The terrace was given a new name: the Woodward-Gladstone Townhomes, for its location on the corner of the two thoroughfares.
The City of Detroit helped the Woodward-Gladstone LDHA secure $800,000 in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and home investor funds. Among those consulting on the project was Rainy Hamilton Jr of Hamilton Anderson Associates and Ernie Zachary and William Madsen-Hardy of Zachary & Associates. The work was performed by Phoenix Building & Construction.
On June 19, 1998, a groundbreaking ceremony for the revival of the townhomes was held. Among those participating was Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer and City Council President Gil Hill, as well as Linden D. Dawson, president of the Woodward-Gladstone LDHA.
Crews set out to address years of deferred maintenance, from roofs and gutters to steps and replacing rotten wood. They also replaced sewer lines, plumbing and wiring, and furnaces. Hardwood floors and masonry were restored, kitchens were updated, insulation was added, windows replaced, and each of the nine units were given a second bathroom.
The work was completed in December 1999.