[2] In 1910, the two largest automobile producers in the world, Studebaker and Ford, were located next door to each other on Piquette.

[2] Although the area is largely empty and derelict now, as recently as the 1950s there were 50,000 workers employed in plants in the district.

[2] Major railroad infrastructure, known as the Milwaukee Junction, was built in the 1890s to facilitate industrial expansion in the city of Detroit.

[5] The building was previously owned by and used as a storage facility by the city's parks and recreation department, although there were plans to repurpose it for the Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Detroit.

[6] The Studebaker Plant was located on the north side of Piquette, between Brush and John R. The building first housed Wayne Automotive in 1906.

The six-story structure was designed by Albert Kahn, Architects and Engineers and constructed by H. G. Christman Co.[14][15][16][4] The Fisher Body Plant 21 is located on the southeast corner of Piquette and St.

[18] During the Great Depression, Fisher suspended production and the building was used as a soup kitchen and homeless shelter.

[19] The plant was used as an engineering design facility from 1930–1956;[20] during World War II, the factory produced Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star Planes, Vought F4U Corsair Shipboard Fighters, and some assemblies for B-25 Mitchell bombers.

[21] In 2022, the City of Detroit mayor Mike Duggan announced plans to revive the building as Fisher 21 Lofts.