Welcome to the El Moore
sustainable urban living
The El Moore has stood at the corner of Second Avenue and West Alexandrine Street since 1898. Today, the El Moore is home to a Lodge providing overnight stays, a residential community, and a neighborhood garden.
The El Moore began its life as spacious, upscale flats catering to auto executives on Detroit’s near-rural periphery. Some thirty years later, it was transformed into a crowded, Depression-era boarding house. The El Moore emerged again as a central place in the gritty but singular Cass Corridor story of the 1960s and ’70s, only to again decline in the late 20th century, eventually becoming foreclosed and abandoned. In 2010, the Green Garage purchased the El Moore building and, after years of design and reconstruction, reopened its doors as a living example of sustainable-based urban design. Come join us in helping to create a more sustainable future for our neighborhood, our beloved city of Detroit, and our planet.
Our eleven-room Lodge offers guests a range of beautifully appointed accommodations embedded within a diverse and welcoming residential community. The Lodge provides a thoughtful, comfortable, and sustainable guest experience while offering unsurpassed customer service.
The twelve residential apartments at the El Moore are home to a diverse group of neighbors who share the belief that our relationships to our environment and to each other go a long way toward enhancing our quality of life. Residents live in a distinctive, historic 1898 apartment building that has been renovated to support our sustainability goals while providing wellness, comfort and aesthetic beauty.
The El Moore Gardens is a publicly accessible neighborhood garden that nurtures our relationship with nature to promote joy, wellness, and a sense of belonging. Filled with Michigan native plants, the Gardens provides an opportunity for quiet relaxation and playful learning.
Sustainability
Explore the Nature of Sustainable Urban Living
Here at the El Moore we follow a triple-bottom line approach, striving for environmental stewardship, community well-being, and economic resilience in each of our actions. From highly efficient energy systems to extensive material reuse to responsible water management, the El Moore is designed to minimize our impact on the planet.
Our goal is to use 80% less energy and produce 80% less waste than a typical hotel. We also care about a healthy and diverse community of guests, residents, team members, and neighbors. At the Lodge, we prioritize hiring Detroiters and pay our employees a living wage.
neighborhood
Experience the Past, Present, and Future of Detroit
Whether you call it Cass Farms, the Cass Corridor, or Midtown, our neighborhood is a thriving, vibrant community of residents and small businesses as well as some of Michigan’s most cherished and storied institutions.
Known for its walkability, Midtown Detroit is home to internationally renowned jewels like the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Detroit Public Library, as well as distinguished learning and research institutions such as Wayne State University, The College for Creative Studies, and the Detroit Medical Center.
Visitors to the El Moore Lodge will be just steps away from a large and growing number of shops, cafes, restaurants and grocery stores in a walkable, historic district that is at the forefront of Detroit’s ongoing revitalization.
