Real Estate Blog

Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – 166 Ridge Road

Last week we reviewed the work D. Allen Wright, from 1930 onwards. It was during this phase of his career that he transitioned from creating his French inspired homes of the late 1920’s, into a designer that focused on modern International style residences and a series of state of the art houses.

This week we conclude our presentation on D. Allen Wright as we visit what is arguably his most prominent creation in Grosse Pointe, 166 Ridge Road - a stunning French inspired property he completed in 1927, for Charles F. Lambert, president of the Clayton & Lambert Manufacturing Company.

Running through the heart of Grosse Pointe Farms is Ridge Road, one of the communities most historic streets. Based on research by the Grosse Pointe Historical…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Architect D. Allen Wright – Part 2

Last week we began a two-part series on the work of D. Allen Wright, one of the most versatile designers to work in Grosse Pointe. He designed close to 30 homes in the community including some of the finest examples of French inspired residences in the area.

This week we continue the story of David Allen Wright with some of the projects he completed post 1930. It was during this phase of his career that he transitioned from creating his French inspired homes of the late 1920’s, into a designer that focused on more modern style residences that were growing in popularity across the United States, including several state of the art homes.

During the 1930’s Wright’s approach began to change considerably. Many of the homes he was designing were…

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2025 Annual Report - Grosse Pointe Real Estate

Higbie Maxon Agney is pleased to offer it's 2025 Grosse Pointe Real Estate Annual Report. Within this report you will find information on median sale prices, sales volume, real estate trends, and much more.

Our goal is to give you an accurate and complete picture of the 2025 Grosse Pointe housing market. All the graphs were produced internally for Higbie Maxon Agney using MiRealSource multiple listing service. We are confident that these are the best statistics currently available on the Grosse Pointe housing market, and we hope that you will find the contents of this report readable and useful. Over the coming months we will use this information to help our clients make informed, educated real estate decisions. 

Market Summary – 2025:
The start…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Architect D. Allen Wright – Part 1

Last week we explored 20 Village Lane, an exquisite home designed by D. Allen Wright in 1927, for Harold B. Tyree, a veteran of World War I and vice president of Detroit Edison.

This week we stay with the work of D. Allen Wright as we begin a two-part presentation featuring many of the homes he designed in Grosse Pointe. It appears he designed close to 30 homes in the community. In part one we are going to focus on his French inspired period: 1926 – 1930.

David Allen Wright was born on July 19, 1886, in Springfield Township, Michigan. During his career he became a noted designer, both locally and nationally. Between 1926 and 1930, many of his creations appear to be large French inspired homes, typically in the Normandy and Provencal style –…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – 20 Village Lane

Last week we visited Kenwood Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, to explore a fine selection of beautifully crafted houses that were created by some of the leading architects of the early 20th century.

Two of the homes we featured were designed by D. Allen Wright. So, this week we are going to look at another of Wright’s creations, 20 Village Lane (formerly 16910 Village Lane) in Grosse Pointe. Completed in 1927, it was designed for Harold B. Tyree, vice president of Detroit Edison.

20 Village Lane was featured in Architectural Forum magazine (October 1935) and the Book of Small Houses (1936). It is a uniquely styled English Cotswold home. At just over 2,000 sq ft the asymmetrical house is bigger than it looks and is perfectly formed. The article in the…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – Kenwood Road

Last week we visited 109 Kenwood, a magnificent home in Grosse Pointe Farms. Completed in 1929, it was designed by the “Dean of Detroit Architects”, Geroge D. Mason for Lynn McNaughton, vice president in charge of sales at Cadillac.

This week we stay on Kenwood to look at a selection of beautifully crafted houses on the street, created by some of the leading architects of the early 20th century. The architectural styles on display include Colonial Revival, English Cotswold, Tudor, Dutch Colonial, and French Provencal styles. Many of the homes exhibit charming architectural features such as intricate brickwork, grand entrances, beautiful limestone detailing, and decorative pediments.

Let’s begin with the residences created by Robert O. Derrick,…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe –109 Kenwood

Happy 2026!

In our last post of 2025, we presented the history of the “Christmas Walk.” Beginning in 1960, it became an annual event that opened some wonderfully decorated homes to the public in Grosse Pointe and Bloomfield-Hills to benefit the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. It was incredibly popular and ran until the late 1970's.

For our first post of the new year, we are going to visit a magnificent home in Grosse Pointe Farms – 109 Kenwood. Completed in 1929, it was designed by the “Dean of Detroit Architects”, Geroge D. Mason for Lynn McNaughton, vice president in charge of sales at Cadillac.

109 Kenwood is a 10,518 sq ft residence, and arguably one of the grandest homes in Grosse Pointe Farms. It was one of the largest homes George Mason…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The Christmas Walk

Last week we presented the story of the weathervane that once graced the roof of 248 Provencal - 5ft tall, a rare and elegant figure of an Indian chief hoisting a bow. In 2006 it became the most expensive weathervane in the world when it sold at auction for $5.84m at Sotheby’s.

This week we present the history of the “Christmas Walk”. An annual event that opened some wonderfully decorated homes to the public in Grosse Pointe and Bloomfield-Hills, to benefit the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

The Christmas Walk event began in December 1960. Presented in the Detroit Free Press, it was reported “The old-fashioned Christmas Walk mapped by the Junior Women’s Association for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is a “first” that should – hopefully – become a…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – The World’s Most Expensive Weathervane

Last week we visited a stunning Georgian Colonial style home – 160 Provencal. It was originally commissioned by Inez Chapin, however, following her death before it was finished it was completed by our founder Hugo Higbie and his wife Marian Chapin (Inez’s daughter) in 1957.

This week we look at the history of a rather stunning weathervane that once graced the roof of 248 Provencal. In 2006 it became the most expensive weathervane in the world when it was sold at auction for nearly $6m.

There are many stunning weathervanes in Grosse Pointe, situated on the roofs and cupolas of some of the magnificent homes in the community. Once such example is the molded copper weathervane that was once situated on the roof of 248 Provencal – 5ft tall, a rare…

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Historical Architecture of Grosse Pointe – 160 Provencal

Last week we concluded our series on the Robert O. Derrick designed homes on Provencal. He created six in total, more than any other architect.

This week we stay on Provencal as we visit a stunning Georgian Colonial style home – 160 Provencal was completed by HMA’s founder Hugo Higbie and his wife Marian Chapin in 1957.

160 Provencal was originally commissioned by Inez Chapin, it is not known who the architect was. Mrs. Chapin was the wife of Roy Chapin Sr. and the mother of Marian Chapin who was married to Hugo Higbie. The elder Chapin’s, Roy and Inez, built a stunning Georgian style home on Lake Shore in 1927 (457 Lake Shore, demolished in 1983) – you can read the full story by clicking here). Image courtesy of: digital.library.wayne.edu/…

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