The Christman Co opens stunning office in the Fisher Building, a structure it helped build

The Christman Co is back in Detroit, working once again on the famous skyline it helped build nearly a century ago.

The Lansing-based construction firm moved its metro Detroit office from Livonia to New Center earlier this month, taking space in the Fisher Building. The Christman Co helped build some of Detroit's most iconic buildings like the Masonic Temple. It served as the general contractor for the Fisher Building's construction in the 1920s.

That firm's history with the skyscraper made the decision to move easy, but other factors like cheaper rent and more convenient parking than what can be found downtown also played a role. When the Christman Group found out that it could have one of the penthouse floors in the building it helped build, however, the decision was made even easier.

"When we saw the 26th floor, we thought this was too good of an opportunity to pass up," says Ron Staley, senior vice president for The Christman Co.

The 26th floor is one of the three floors originally built out for the Fisher brothers of the Fisher Body Corp. It was decked out with walnut walls, ornate plaster, and bronzed doors. Some of those details were left when The Christman Co returned this month, which the company did its best to carefully restore.

"It was modified in the 1960s in a less than desirable way," Staley says.

The 26th floor measures 6,000 square feet, which the Christman Co built out to accommodate up to 25 people. Those workers have been busy with a number of projects in Detroit, such as Bedrock's work in downtown Detroit for the Quicken Loans portfolio of properties and Blue Cross Blue Shield's campus upgrades in Greektown.

"For numerous business reasons it made more sense to move closer to downtown," Staley says.

Source: Ron Staley, senior vice president for The Christman Co
Writer: Jon Zemke

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