The 10,500‑sq‑ft Italian Renaissance house at 918 W. Boston Blvd. was erected in 1917 for lumber magnate Nels Michelson. It later passed to Motown founder Berry Gordy, who used it as a social hub for the label’s stars.
Gordy purchased the home in 1967, hosting legendary acts like Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and the Jackson 5. The mansion became a symbol of Detroit’s musical renaissance, while its grandeur reflected the city’s industrial boom.
In 2002, Detroit attorney Cynthia Reaves purchased the property for $250,000, a price that shocked many who remembered the house’s storied past. She leveraged Michigan historic‑preservation tax credits to finance a four‑year rehabilitation that restored original woodwork, plaster, and the sprawling Athletic Building. The project earned a state historic‑preservation award, underscoring its architectural fidelity.
After the rehab, Reaves listed the 10,500‑sq‑ft mansion in 2015 for $1.295 million, but it lingered on the market for two years. In August 2017, a Detroit native who had returned from San Francisco bought the property for $1.65 million, exceeding the $1.595 million asking price. CBS Detroit reported that the purchase triggered an estate auction featuring Gordy’s Steinway piano and Motown memorabilia.
Today the house, still called the Motown Mansion, stands as a testament to Detroit’s cultural legacy. Its future use remains uncertain, but the restoration has preserved a piece of the city’s sonic history.