Completed in 1928, the Fisher Building is one of Detroit’s most celebrated architectural landmarks and one of architect Albert Kahn’s most recognized works. Built for the Fisher brothers after the sale of Fisher Body to General Motors, the building became an anchor of Detroit’s New Center district and a lasting symbol of the city’s automotive-era prosperity.

Known as “Detroit’s Largest Art Object,” the Fisher Building is recognized for its richly detailed Art Deco design, including its marble, mosaics, frescoes, brass, bronze, and ornamental metalwork. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

Allen Architectural Metals contributed to the restoration of two bronze entrances at the Fisher Building: the South Entrance on W. Grand Boulevard and the West Entryway. The project included the restoration and refinishing of existing bronze doors, vestibule elements, interior doorway cladding, ornamental grilles, cresting, and the Fisher Building bronze signage.

The work required a careful balance between preservation and modernization. Original bronze storefront ornamentation, including vertical rope and saddle details, was removed and retrofitted for installation onto a new aluminum storefront structure provided by Curtis Glass. This approach preserved the historic appearance of the original storefront while allowing the entrance system to meet new structural requirements.

Working with Christman Corporation, Curtis Glass, and Dawson Doors, Allen Architectural Metals helped restore the entrances with an approach rooted in craft, coordination, and technical problem-solving.

Scope of Work

• Restoration of two bronze entrances
• Exterior doors, three pairs at each entrance
• Interior doors, three pairs at each entrance
• In-situ refinishing of existing bronze elements within the vestibule areas
• In-situ finishing of existing interior doorway bronze frame cladding
• Offsite shop repairs and refinishing of ornamental grilles and cresting
• Offsite shop repairs and refinishing of the exterior doorway header and Fisher Building bronze signage at the South Entrance
• Removal and retrofit of original bronze storefront cladding ornamentation
• Retrofit of vertical rope and saddle details onto a new aluminum storefront structure
• Coordination with Curtis Glass for the new storefront system
• Coordination with Dawson Doors to replicate the existing swing door design
• Fabrication of new swing doors where prior revolving doors existed
• Creation of new cast bronze replacement elements to match original historic components

South Entrance
At the South Entrance on W. Grand Boulevard, Allen Architectural Metals restored three pairs of exterior doors and three pairs of interior doors. Existing bronze elements within the vestibule area between the exterior and interior doorways were refinished in place, along with the bronze frame cladding at the interior doorway.

Additional components, including the exterior doorway header, Fisher Building bronze signage, ornamental grilles, and cresting, were removed for full offsite shop repair and refinishing. These elements were carefully restored before being reinstalled as part of the updated entrance assembly.

The original structural bronze storefront cladding ornamentation, including vertical rope and saddle details, was removed and retrofitted to mount to the new aluminum storefront structure provided by Curtis Glass. This preserved the historic visual character of the entrance while accommodating the new structural system.

West Entryway
The West Entryway also included the restoration of three pairs of exterior doors and three pairs of interior doors. Allen Architectural Metals performed in-situ refinishing of the existing bronze elements within the vestibule area and finished the existing bronze frame cladding at the interior doorway.

The cresting above the entries was removed for offsite shop repairs and refinishing. As with the South Entrance, original bronze storefront cladding ornamentation, vertical rope details, and saddle details were removed, retrofitted, and adapted for installation onto the new aluminum storefront system.

Technical Approach
The Fisher Building storefront restoration required close coordination between existing historic bronze elements and new structural requirements. To support the installation of the restored header onto the new structure, Allen Architectural Metals used 3D-printed components matching the profile of the header assembly. These printed components were sent to the site, allowing AAM field technicians to measure and define anchor depths and layouts for the fabrication of new custom header brackets.

This process helped ensure that the restored historic components could be accurately adapted to the new storefront structure while maintaining the original appearance of the entrance.

Several new cast bronze elements were also created to replace original components that could not be reused. PMMA-printed components were produced and then used by the foundry to create new castings through a process similar to lost wax casting. The resulting replacement pieces were designed to match the original bronze elements and integrate seamlessly into the restored storefront.

Preservation Considerations
The restoration of the Fisher Building entrances reflects the complexity of working with historic architectural metalwork in an active building environment. Rather than replacing the historic appearance with a modern substitute, original bronze ornamentation was repaired, refinished, and retrofitted wherever possible.

By combining in-situ refinishing, offsite shop restoration, custom bracket fabrication, 3D printing, new cast bronze replacement elements, and coordination with modern storefront systems, Allen Architectural Metals helped preserve the architectural character of the Fisher Building while supporting the functional needs of the restored entrances.

The result is a restored bronze entrance system that maintains the richness, craftsmanship, and historic identity of one of Detroit’s most iconic landmarks.