McIntosh Poris Architects Creates 90 Housing Units in First Reinforced Concrete Factory Building.
Detroit, MI—Once a hub of early automotive innovation, the historic Cadillac Assembly Plant at 450 Amsterdam Ave. is being reborn as The Amsterdam Lofts, a bold adaptive-reuse project by McIntosh Poris Architects (MPA). The collaboration with developer Greatwater Opportunity Capital is delivering 90 new loft apartments to Detroit’s vibrant New Center neighborhood, preserving the building’s rich local and automotive history while addressing the city’s current residential needs.
Constructed in 1905 as part of the automaker’s first Cadillac Assembly Plant campus, the landmark building listed on the National Register of Historic Places was the world’s first reinforced-concrete automobile factory. Designed by renowned architect George D. Mason, FAIA, the three-story building was engineered by Julius Kahn, a pioneer in steel-reinforced concrete construction and brother of famed architect Albert Kahn, FAIA. Cadillac operated at this site until 1920, after which the building transitioned to Westcott Paper Products which occupied it until recently. Despite changes, the structure retained much of its industrial character and historical significance…