Found 436 blog entries tagged as Higbie Maxon Agney.

Last week we presented the story of 864 Rivard. Built around 1908 (or before), it is not only one of Grosse Pointe’s oldest homes, but one of a few Saltbox style properties found in the community.

This week we turn our attention to St. Clare of Montefalco Parish. 2026 marks the 100th Anniversary of this important parish, so in honor of this momentous occasion we are beginning a two-part series which will feature the history of the school and the church. 

The origins of St Clare Parish date back to 1923, when Father James A. McDonald, pastor of St. Augustine Church in Hamtramck, was chosen to lead the new St. Clare Parish, which was to be overseen by the Augustinian Fathers. The first Sunday mass for the new parish was held on October 3, 1926, at…

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Last week we explored the work of a lesser known, yet prominent Detroit based firm Palmquist & Wright who were known for designing Mid-Century Modern style homes, along with creating hundreds of house plans that were published in books and catalogues. 

This week we move away from modern style houses to delve into the history of one of Grosse Pointe’s oldest homes, 864 Rivard, one of a few Saltbox style homes found in the community. The post was a request from Sandy Yarrington whose great-grandmother and grandparents once lived at the property.

It is believed 864 Rivard was built in 1908, however there is a distinct possibility it may have been completed during the late 1800’s or possibly earlier. It is not known who the original family was who…

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Last week we explored 920 Whittier in Grosse Pointe Park, a fine example of an International style home, designed by renowned commercial architect Gaston John Stevens for himself in 1967.

This week we stay with the theme of modern style architecture as we look at the work of a lesser known, yet prominent Detroit based firm Palmquist & Wright who were known for designing Mid-Century Modern style homes, along with creating house plans that were published in books and catalogues.

The firm of Irving E. Palmquist and Clifford N. Wright specialized in functional, stylish residential designs. It is understood they worked extensively with designer/builder Richard B. Pollman. It was Pollman who promoted Palmquist & Wright as the chosen architects for the…

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Last week we concluded our presentation on D. Allen Wright as we explored 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.

This week we head to 920 Whittier in Grosse Pointe Park, a fine example of an International style home, designed by renowned commercial architect Gaston John Stevens for himself in 1967.

920 Whittier was the subject of our recent free lecture at the Central Library in January. Current owner Dick Ruzzin gave a fascinating presentation about the house and how the International style played a big part in influencing its design. The following article…

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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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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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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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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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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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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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