Riverwalk Hotel Detroit
The Roberts Riverwalk Hotel and Residence Detroit, formerly the Parke-Davis Research Laboratory also once known as Building 55-Detroit Research, is located on Joseph Campau Street at the Detroit River, in Detroit, Michigan. The former research facility was redeveloped as a boutique luxury hotel located on the Detroit International Riverfront. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for its historic significance as an early research laboratory. History. Parke-Davis moved its facilities to this location along the Detroit River in the 1870s to take advantage of the transportation provided by the river and  nearby rail lines. The company eventually built 26 still-extant buildings in the area; the Park-Davis campus as a whole, now known as the Stroh River Place is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the most significant structure in the group, the Parke-Davis Research Laboratory, is individually recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The Research Laboratory was built in 1902 after Parke-Davis relocated the Detroit Boat Club to Belle Isle. The Detroit architectural firm of Donaldson & Meier designed the original building; later additions were designed by Albert Kahn. The building is a three-story  brick building measuring approximately , and is typical example of public architecture of the period. Bruning Development Corp purchased the hotel in 1993 from the Stroh family and signed Grand Heritage Hotels to manage and brand the property. In 1998 BDC sold the property to Omni Hotels. Significance. This building was the first industrial research laboratory in the U.S. established for the specific purpose of conducting pharmacological research, inaugurating the commercial pure science approach which has driven the rapid development of pharmaceutical technology. Later history and current use. The research laboratory was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976. In 1979 , Parke-Davis sold its property in Detroit, including the Research Laboratory, to the Stroh family (of Stroh Brewery Company). The complex has been redeveloped for mixed use. The laboratory was eventually remodeled and served as a hotel and residence. National Park Service staff had recommended withdrawal of landmark status in 2002 due to loss of the building's historic integrity during the conversion. Bruning Development Corporation (BDC) purchased the hotel in 1993 and retained Grand Heritage Hotels to manage and brand the hotel as an upscale luxurious asset. BDC invested 3.8 million dollars to upgrade the facilities using Carleton Varney  of Dorothy Draper & Co. NYC, Varney is also known for his design consultancy at the White House. Omni Hotels purchased the hotel in 1998 from Bruning Development Corporation with plans to convert the hotel to the Omni brand. The Roberts Riverwalk Hotel & Residence Detroit opened May 2011.