Inn at 97 Winder

Inn at 97 Winder is a historic lodging property at 97 Winder Street in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, within the Brush Park neighborhood. The inn occupies the former John Harvey House, a late-nineteenth-century residence associated with John Harvey, a Detroit pharmacist and philanthropist. Harvey became known for educational and charitable work directed toward poor children and orphans, establishing institutions intended to provide instruction and support to disadvantaged young people. The house therefore carries both architectural and local social-history significance. The building was designed by John V. Smith for Harvey and completed in 1887. Its architecture combines Second Empire and Queen Anne influences, characteristic of the substantial residences constructed in Brush Park during Detroit's period of industrial and commercial growth. The red-brick house is built over an ashlar foundation and features a mansard roof, a centered entrance, multi-story towers and window bays, and decorative wooden brackets. Interior and structural features include approximately 11,000 square feet of space, eight marble fireplaces, and a three-story staircase. After Harvey's death in 1905, his widow continued to live in the residence into the 1920s. Jesse Hobbs, an automobile worker, acquired the property during that decade. In 1938, the house was converted into a rooming house, and some of its larger rooms were subdivided. The property later entered a preservation-oriented redevelopment phase when developers purchased it in 1986 and renovated the structure. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Following the renovation effort, it reopened in 2005 as the Inn at 97 Winder, with ten guest rooms. Its positioning is based on the combination of historic architecture, an intimate lodging format, and proximity to major downtown Detroit venues. The inn is located approximately two blocks from Comerica Park and three blocks from Ford Field, making it relevant to visitors attending baseball, football, concerts, and other events in the surrounding entertainment district. Inn at 97 Winder is best understood as a single-property hospitality brand rather than a large hotel chain or geographically distributed accommodation group. Publicly referenced information centers on the building's preservation, historical identity, architectural character, and guest-room operation. No verified information is provided here about a parent company, current ownership, management executives, room-rate strategy, restaurant operations, or additional locations.

The property now known as Inn at 97 Winder began as a private Detroit residence called the John Harvey House. John Harvey was a successful pharmacist who also devoted substantial effort to philanthropy, particularly education and food support for poor children and orphans. Beginning shortly after the American Civil War and continuing into the early twentieth century, he helped establish charitable educational initiatives, including Detroit's Industrial School and the Sabbath Mission School. These activities contributed to the historical importance associated with the house and its original occupant. Harvey commissioned architect John V. Smith to design the residence in Detroit's Brush Park neighborhood. Completed in 1887, the building reflected the affluent residential character of the district and combined Second Empire and Queen Anne features. Its red-brick exterior rests on an ashlar foundation, while the mansard roof, projecting towers, window bays, and ornamental brackets give the structure a highly articulated Victorian appearance. The interior included eight marble fireplaces, a three-story staircase, and roughly 11,000 square feet of space. John Harvey died in 1905. His widow remained in the house into the 1920s, after which Jesse Hobbs, an automobile worker, purchased it. The building's use changed substantially in 1938 when it became a rooming house. Some of its larger rooms were partitioned to accommodate the new function, reflecting the broader evolution of Brush Park's historic residences from elite private homes into more varied urban housing. Developers acquired the property in 1986 and undertook renovation work. The preservation significance of the house was formally recognized when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. The listing identified the building as an important historic resource within Detroit and helped establish a framework for its continued preservation. After renovation, the property was converted into an inn and opened in 2005 as Inn at 97 Winder. The hospitality operation was organized around ten guest rooms, using the historic residence as an intimate lodging setting rather than replacing it with a larger contemporary hotel structure. The inn's location provides access to central Detroit attractions and major sports venues, including Comerica Park and Ford Field, which are situated within a few blocks. The available reference material does not identify a chain affiliation, parent company, ownership succession, current executives, official website, or expansion beyond the Detroit property. Its documented identity remains closely tied to the adaptive reuse of the John Harvey House and to the preservation of a Brush Park residence as a small historic inn.

• 2005

  Opened as Inn at 97 Winder

  [1]Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org

  Following renovation, the historic building opened as a ten-room inn under the Inn at 97 Winder name.

• 1991

  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

  [1]Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org

  The John Harvey House received recognition through inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

• 1986

  Renovation project begins

  [1]Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org

  Developers purchased the historic property and began a renovation-oriented redevelopment effort.

• 1938

  Converted to a rooming house

  [1]Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org

  The residence was converted into a rooming house, with some large rooms divided into smaller spaces.

• 1920

  Property acquired by Jesse Hobbs

  [1]Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1920s, automobile worker Jesse Hobbs purchased the former Harvey residence.

• 1905

  Death of John Harvey

  [1]Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org

  John Harvey died; his widow continued to occupy the house into the 1920s.

• 1887

  John Harvey House completed

  [1]Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org

  The residence commissioned by pharmacist and philanthropist John Harvey was completed in Detroit's Brush Park district, following designs by John V. Smith.

A small historic Detroit inn combining preserved nineteenth-century architecture with boutique guest accommodation in the Brush Park and downtown sports-and-entertainment area.

• Boutique accommodation · 2005

  Historic guest rooms

  The inn's principal offering is overnight accommodation in ten guest rooms located within the restored John Harvey House. The lodging experience is defined by the building's nineteenth-century residential character rather than by a broad portfolio of standardized hotel products. Historic architectural elements, including the building's towers, marble fireplaces, and substantial staircase, form part of the property's distinctive setting. The available reference material does not specify individual room names, amenities, rates, or accessibility features.

• 2005

  Adaptive reuse as a historic innStrategy

  Background

  After the building had served as a private residence and later as a rooming house, renovation created an opportunity to preserve the structure while returning it to a hospitality-oriented use.

  Action taken

  The renovated John Harvey House was opened as the ten-room Inn at 97 Winder, emphasizing historic character and small-scale accommodation.

  Aftermath

  The property became a boutique inn linked to Detroit's Brush Park history and its location near major sports and entertainment venues.

  Source

1. 1Inn at 97 Winderen.wikipedia.org