Flute House exterior in Royal Oak nearly done

The Flute House has assumed a striking shape in downtown Royal Oak now that work on its exterior is wrapping up.

The red-and-off-white building on South Main Street next to B&B Collision is cruising toward a June finish as work moves indoors.

"We're basically fabricating the interior right now," says Keith Phillips, co-founder of Brighton-based The Think Shop Architects and the designer of the building.

The Flute House at 913 S Main St. will serve as a high-end flute store and the residence of Ervin Monroe, the retired principal flutist for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The retail portion will be on the ground floor of the two-story building, while Monroe's home will be on the second.

The building started out as home to Alegra Print & Imaging in the mid-20th Century, and has since played host to a body shop and brick emporium. The original building will house a 5,000-square-foot retail shop on the ground floor. The residential space above measures out to 2,100 square feet.

Source: Keith Phillips, co-founder of The Think Shop Architects
Writer: Jon Zemke
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