LOCATION
BUILDING 7
Herman Kiefer Health Complex
1151 Taylor St, Detroit, MI ​​​
Directions
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Enter via the security gate off of Taylor and Byron. Head towards the shipping containers. Building 7 is situated to the right of the containers.
HISTORY
​​The Herman Kiefer Health Complex was the primary health care facility of the City of Detroit from its founding to closure. During its 75 years, it treated the poorest citizens of the city. For the first 35 years most patients had infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, mumps, measles, and other diseases.
The closure of the facility and privatization of Detroit’s health department in 2013 was a significant loss for many Detroit residents who relied on its services, many of them Black families. Learn more about the history of this site and the future of the complex below.
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1911 - The first buildings open at the Herman Kiefer Hospital for Contagious Disease.
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1928 - The main hospital building opens.​
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1970 - 1980 - The hospital becomes Herman Kiefer’s Public Health complex, where Detroiters sought out birth certificates, TB testing, vaccinations and underwent services for STIs.
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2008 - The Great Recession.
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July 18, 2013 - Detroit becomes the largest US city to file for bankruptcy.
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2013 - 2018 Herman Kiefer Hospital is shuttered and abandoned. With Detroit facing bankruptcy, the mayor, David Bing, decided that the maintenance cost of the aging building could not be afforded.
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February 2018 - Acquisition of the campus to Herman Kiefer Development LLC with the goal of becoming the Creative Commerce Campus Detroit (C3D).
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November 2024 - The Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences announces plan to move to the former Hutchins Middle School at the Herman Kiefer Complex.
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Present day - The Herman Kiefer Development LLC employs 270 local employees and has a Campus Development deadline of Feb 2029.
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ACCESSIBILITY
Age Restrictions
This exhibition is for curious minds ages 16 and up.
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Masking
Building 7 sat abandoned for over five years, and has therefore collected significant dust and debris. The floors have been cleaned, but it is still recommended that people with respiratory difficulties or sensitivities to dust don a mask while visiting.
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Wheelchair Access
Unfortunately, the House of Tarot exhibition is largely not wheelchair accessible, except for the first floor, which is accessible by ramp. The building's elevator is broken, and the basement, second floor, and third floor are accessible by stairs only.
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If you have limited mobility and are interested in speaking with someone about visiting the site, please fill out the contact form below.
CONTACT
Get in Touch
For inquiries, partnerships, or any information.