What Makes Russell Woods Homes So Special

The Parkway at 4770 Leslie.

Russell Woods can be described as an “island of unique architecture in the City of Detroit”. What makes the Russell Woods-Sullivan neighborhood unique is that two subdivisions were each platted one decade apart and as a result there is a diverse range of architectural styles that were built. The first part, Russell Woods was planned in 1916, while the other was planned in 1925 by Daniel Sullivan. While single family homes were mostly built, Russell Woods also features many multi-family and two-flat homes. Tudor, Norman, Art Moderne, Dutch colonial, and Mediterranean Revival homes are all very popular. Beautiful details like zinc windows, chimney braces, stained glass, clinker brick, French balconies, eyebrow windows, awnings, turrets, and driveway arches are on every block. As you drive down Glendale Avenue, smaller bungalow and cottage homes begin to appear. Pay close attention though: you may miss small details like decorative chimney pots, wrought iron railings, awnings above windows and entrance doors, deco- rative brick, and a variety of half-timbering styles.

Several Russell Woods homes were in the Detroit Free Press upon comple- tion. One such home is 4770 Leslie St. Called “The Parkway” by architect and builder Claude A. Dock, 4770 Leslie is a prime example of a decorative neo-Tudor home. The main front façade entering the home is a beautiful lightly colored limestone. Still installed on the first floor are the original windows.

Advertised as Facing the Park, featur- ing four bedrooms with two full bath- rooms. 4770 also had a two-car garage and finished recreation room in the basement. 4060 Fullerton is another home featured in the news. Called “York Castle” by The Miller-Storm Company, this was the 1,000th home built by Miller-Storm. A unique design, York Castle featured a maid’s room with its own bathroom, colored tile bathrooms, and a modern kitchen with a butler’s pantry.

Diverse in architecture, the neighbor- hood also has prided itself on having some of Detroit’s most famous artists live in the neighborhood. Florence Ballard, the founding member of the famous “Supremes” lived in Russell Woods at 3767 Buena Vista. Artist Carl owens also lived in Russell Woods, so did Brazeal Dennard, Florence Ballard, and Diana Ross. The history of Detroit and its people are shown in each home, giving it a unique charm and character that can’t be found any- where else. From the Neo-Tudor-style homes to the simpler, more classic architectural designs, each has some- thing special that makes it stand out from the rest. Russell Woods-Sullivan showcases some of the best designed middle class homes in the city. It is through this remarkable history that Detroit’s Russell Woods neighbor- hood stands out and continues to be an important contributor to Detroit’s culture and identity.

Article contributed by
Matthew Krajenk, Housing Historian and Architecture Researcher