Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2007 » Architect Hans Gehrke????? « Previous Next »
Top of pageBottom of page

Patrick
Member
Username: Patrick

Post Number: 4416
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2007 - 4:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have been doing research, yet hit a number of roadblocks on the architect Hans Gehrke. He designed the DFD headquarters and a number of great homes, yet no one knows anything about him. You can Google him, and only come up with several works including Saint John's-Saint Luke Evangelical Church-Local.

Ironically, I purchased several vintage House Beautiful ads off of Ebay and one happened to have an article about a residence at 99 Arden Park designed by Hans Gehrke for Robert Traub in 1912. Traub later moved to a mega estate built by WB Stratton at 1250 West Long Lake Road in Bloomfield Hills in 1926. Prior to living at 99 Arden Park, he lived at 61 Erskine.

So who was Hans Gehrke and what buildings did he work on?
Top of pageBottom of page

The_rock
Member
Username: The_rock

Post Number: 1749
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, May 18, 2007 - 8:44 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Hans Gehrke from Grosse Pointe was the former president of the First Federal Savings and Loan and also was a former chairman of the Detroit Board of Commerce. His daughter still lives here.
AIW might be able to furnish a few clues on the architect by the same name.
Top of pageBottom of page

Patrick
Member
Username: Patrick

Post Number: 4426
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, May 18, 2007 - 9:02 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I doubt anyone else has any solid information so I actually contacted a family member of his and I am awaiting him to dig up some facts lol.
Top of pageBottom of page

7051
Member
Username: 7051

Post Number: 32
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 10:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hans designed all of DFD's stations built during the 1920's and 1930's. He also designed a fire station in Royal Oak that's been closed since 1980 (opened briefly in 2002 while other stations were being rebuilt). It is at Webster (12 1/2 Mile and Crooks). It is the best public building in Royal Oak and was paid for by the people of the Shrine church neighborhood as Royal Oak was a sleepy village in the 1920's (its other fire station at that time was a converted commercial building which was a Napa auto parts store until recently (Main and Sixth corner).

Add Your Message Here
Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.