Not to be outdone, department store owner Christopher Mabley began planning an even taller structure to display his merchandise. Like Hammond, Mabley died before the structure could be completed, but, unlike Hammond, no one completed his dream. The bui lding never housed his department store, nor did it bear his name. The letter "M" had been carved into the capstone and at other places in the building's stonework to signify Mabley, so the developers who continued the project christened the orphaned skyscaper the Majestic Building.

Designed by noted skyscaperist Daniel Burnham of Chicago, the Majestic was modern in more than just its soaring form. The entire structure was proclaimed fireproof, a claim that was tested by a 1915 fire on the top floor. The fire burned for more than two hours before firefighters could contain it, but it never spread beyond its origin. The terra-cotta walls and floors contained the blaze and gave proof to Detroiters that Progress could indeed make their lives better, happier, and safer.

At fourteen stories, it reigned as the king of Detroit skyscrapers from 1896 until 1909. The photo at left shows the expansive view from the roof, with the County Building standing in the middleground.

Though built as a store, the Majestic served its entire life as an office building. It fell to the wrecking ball in 1962 and was replaced by the black granite First Federal Building in 1965.

In the days before the Majestic, this corner housed Fred Sanders's ice cream parlor where he invented the ice cream soda. Sanders's concoction became famous across America, giving Sanders the means to start a chain of ice cream parlors that spread across the Detroit area. Cherished by generations of Detroiters, Sanders Ice Cream gradually succumbed to 31 Flavors, Dairy Queen, TCBY, et al. The last store closed in 1995. In the panorama photo, the building to the right of the Majestic is the home of the flagship Sanders store.