Constructed 1926-1927, Building 69 served as the administrative headquarters of Parke, Davis & Company and was designed by the Detroit architectural firm Smith, Hinchman & Grylls. Located prominently along the Detroit River at the southern edge of the company's pharmaceutical complex, it was the most architecturally elaborate building on the campus, reflecting the company's international stature during its years as one of the world's leading pharmaceutical manufacturers.

The four-story reinforced concrete structure is clad in red brick and limestone and displays refined Renaissance Revival detailing on all four facades. Its design features tall vertical brick pilasters, polychromatic brick-and-stone arches, decorative terra cotta panels, connected stone archivolts, and projecting corner pavilions that create dramatic shadow lines. A richly detailed enclosed bridge with a copper roof connects the building to Building 63, symbolizing the close integration of the administrative offices with the manufacturing complex.

Building 69 is one of the principal structures within the Parke, Davis & Company Pharmaceutical Plant, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 16, 1985. Following the rehabilitation of the River Place complex in the 1980s, the building was adapted for commercial use and today is known as 100 River Place, continuing to serve as a prominent landmark along Detroit's east riverfront.

We currently feature three other buildings from the former Parke, Davis & Company Pharmaceutical Plant: the Parke-Davis Research Laboratory, 300 River Place (former Buildings 64/65) and 500 River Place (former Buildings 13-21, 24). Additional buildings from this historic industrial complex will be added to HistoricDetroit over time.