Places Downtown riverfront / ¼
Renaissance Center · Detroit riverfrontRenCen
What’s next for Detroit’s glass crown?
For almost fifty years it has ruled the riverfront, and now it’s being rewritten. Under Bedrock and GM’s plan two towers would come down, apartments would join the hotel in the central tower, and the river would get a park and a marina. Follow every decision live right here, and we’ll show you where you can have your say.
- Opened
- 1977the Detroit Plaza Hotel opened in March
- Center tower
- 727 ft221.5 m, Michigan’s tallest building
- Towers to go
- 2Towers 300 and 400, nearest the river
- New homes
- 934205 of them affordable
- Civic space
- 18 acresparks, plazas, waterfront, marina
- All done
- 2036the plan’s last phase
01 / Live tracker
What’s happening with the RenCen right now?
Every fifteen minutes we check City Council agendas, the City’s Community Benefits page, DEGC documents, Bedrock’s project page and Detroit’s newsrooms. Anything new gets written up in our own words, always with the source. Around meetings we check even more often.
FOX 2 Detroit: Abbas Ali argues against demolishing two RenCen towers
FOX 2 Detroit reports Abbas Ali argued on Detroit Talk City against demolishing two Renaissance Center towers in the proposed redevelopment.
Detroiters remember the RenCen as a symbol of Black leadership
The Michigan Chronicle reports that Detroiters remember the RenCen as a symbol of Black leadership.
DTC eyes RenCen redevelopment connections; board OKs rail grinding
City Bureau Documenters reports the DTC board approved routine rail grinding to extend the rails’ life. Transit officials are weighing how all modes can connect with the Renaissance Center redevelopment.
Bedrock now targets 2036 completion for Renaissance Center redevelopment
CBS News reports Bedrock now expects the Renaissance Center redevelopment to be finished in 2036, two years earlier than projected in documents obtained by CBS News Detroit.
CBS: RenCen redevelopment targeted for completion in 2038
CBS News Detroit reports the RenCen redevelopment is expected to be completed in 2038, based on plans obtained from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation.
Finance & Commerce: RenCen redevelopment brings long-planned housing
Finance & Commerce reports that the RenCen redevelopment brings long-planned housing.
Documents point to 2038 completion for RenCen redevelopment
CBS News Detroit reports a timeline shows the Renaissance Center redevelopment could take more than a decade and not be finished until 2038.
Inside the $2.2 billion RenCen plan
Daily Detroit reports the $2.2 billion plan for Detroit’s Renaissance Center breaks down the math, demolition mechanics, and a new vision.
Also reported by: Daily Detroit
Could the original RenCen housing finally get built?
The Detroit Free Press reports that the original RenCen housing concept may finally get built.
WXYZ: Documents say RenCen’s $2.24B redo won’t be done until 2036
WXYZ 7 News Detroit reports documents show the $2.24 billion plan to redevelop the Renaissance Center and the surrounding Detroit Riverfront won’t be complete until 2036.
Crain’s: RenCen and east riverfront build would take nearly a decade
Crain’s Detroit Business reports the $2.24 billion RenCen and east riverfront project is slated to start next year, with the third phase wrapping in 2036.
Also reported by: Crain's Detroit Business
WDET: Bedrock CEO on the RenCen redevelopment subsidy plan
WDET’s The Metro features Bedrock CEO Jared Fleisher discussing the current plan to subsidize the Renaissance Center’s redevelopment, followed by Anne Goulet sharing her perspective as principal of two architecture firms.
Also reported by: WDET 101.9 FM
Bedrock CEO talks RenCen plans on FOX 2
FOX 2 Detroit reports Bedrock CEO Jared Fleisher talked about plans for the Renaissance Center as major construction details continue to be released.
Detroit News asks: Would MLK call the RenCen deal economic justice?
The Detroit News reports that the question is whether Martin Luther King Jr. would call Detroit’s RenCen deal “economic justice.”
FOX 2: What taxpayers should know about $2.24B RenCen incentives
FOX 2 Detroit reports the proposed $2.24B remake of the Renaissance Center, outlining the incentives and how it would be paid for, and says Detroit’s skyline and waterfront could totally change.
Bedrock and GM propose $2.2B RenCen and east riverfront remake with about $473M public aid
CBS News reports Bedrock and General Motors are proposing a $2.2 billion redevelopment of the Renaissance Center and east riverfront, with about $473 million in public incentives.
Also reported by: CBS News
Bedrock, GM seek $548M subsidy for $2.2B RenCen plan
Detroit Free Press reports Bedrock and GM are seeking $548 million in subsidies for a $2.2 billion Renaissance Center plan.
Also reported by: Axios, Detroit Free Press
Crain’s: How the RenCen’s $548M incentives stack up against other Detroit megaprojects
Crain’s Detroit Business compares the RenCen’s proposed $548 million incentives package for the Renaissance Center redevelopment with other Detroit projects valued at $1 billion or more.
GM and Bedrock to reveal public subsidy ask for RenCen redevelopment
Crain's Detroit Business reports GM and Bedrock will reveal their public subsidy request for the RenCen redevelopment; they previously estimated about $350 million of the $1.6 billion cost would come from public sources.
DEGC outlined RenCen redevelopment plan at a public meeting
The Detroit News reports that DEGC outlined a plan for RenCen redevelopment at a public meeting.
Detroit sees RenCen public funding ask
Axios reports that Detroit got a look at the RenCen’s public funding ask.
Crain's: RenCen redo seeks $548M in public incentives on a $2.24B project
Crain's Detroit Business reports the RenCen redevelopment and a large project on the parking lots east of the complex carry $547.93 million in public incentives on a $2.24 billion overall plan.
Also reported by: WXYZ 7 News Detroit
DEGC presented the RenCen redevelopment plan at a public meeting
The Detroit News reports that the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation presented the RenCen redevelopment plan at a public meeting.
Pushback to GM and Bedrock’s $550M taxpayer ask for the RenCen
The Detroit News reports that GM and Bedrock’s request for $550 million in taxpayer funds for the RenCen has drawn pushback.
Earlier stories (66)
Request for RenCen overhaul’s taxpayer tab to be revealed
The Detroit News reports that the request for how much taxpayers would be asked to cover for the RenCen overhaul will be revealed.
Don’t rush to demolish the RenCen?
The Detroit News reports that Bedrock and GM shouldn’t move so quickly to demolish the RenCen.
Residents elected to scrutinize RenCen redevelopment
CBS News reports Detroiters are electing residents to help scrutinize Bedrock and GM’s Renaissance Center redevelopment plans, and that group is coming together.
Neighbors elect redevelopment advisers for the RenCen
Axios reports that neighbors around the RenCen elected redevelopment advisers.
Bedrock explains why its RenCen plan beats the alternatives
The Detroit Free Press reports that Bedrock officials explained why they believe their RenCen plan is better than the alternatives.
Bedrock and GM push to remove two RenCen towers
The Detroit News reports that Bedrock and GM are arguing for removing two Renaissance Center towers.
RenCen makeover goes far beyond just the towers
Axios reports the RenCen makeover goes well beyond the towers.
GM and Bedrock seek Detroiters’ input on RenCen plans
GM Authority reports GM and Bedrock are asking Detroit residents to weigh in on future plans for the Renaissance Center, the former GM headquarters.
FOX 2: Public input coming on RenCen redevelopment
FOX 2 Detroit reports plans to redevelop the Renaissance Center and reshape Detroit’s riverfront are underway, and Detroiters will get to weigh in.
Also reported by: CBS News
Detroiters question the RenCen redevelopment process
Axios reports that Detroiters are questioning the Renaissance Center redevelopment process.
RenCen riverfront community hub opens for public input
WXYZ 7 News Detroit reports the RenCen riverfront community hub is open for public input, as Bedrock and General Motors ask Detroiters to weigh in on redesign plans for the Renaissance Center and 30 acres east of the building.
RenCen plan draws criticism at first community meeting
The Detroit Free Press reports the Renaissance Center plan drew criticism at the first community meeting.
Residents push back on timeline and vision at first RenCen community benefits meeting
BridgeDetroit reports residents, advocates, and other stakeholders raised concerns over the project scope and timeline and the need for transit, equitable housing, and opportunities for Black-owned businesses at the first Renaissance Center community benefits meeting.
Community engagement kicks off for a reimagined RenCen
The Detroit News reports that community engagement has begun for a reimagined Renaissance Center.
CBS: Bedrock and GM kick off meetings on the RenCen’s future
CBS News reports Bedrock and General Motors held the first of several meetings to discuss the future of the Renaissance Center and the riverfront.
Detroiters unload on GM and Bedrock over RenCen plans
The Detroit News reports that Detroiters sharply criticized GM and Bedrock’s RenCen plans.
RenCen makeover coming in the near future?
Detroit Free Press reports the RenCen will get a makeover in the near future, and plans are in the works.
Also reported by: Detroit Free Press
Official debut for the RenCen redevelopment plan
The Detroit Free Press reports the Renaissance Center redevelopment plan is making its official debut.
WXYZ: Community benefits process for RenCen redevelopment is starting
WXYZ 7 News Detroit reports the community benefits process for the planned redevelopment of the Renaissance Center is starting.
Also reported by: WXYZ 7 News Detroit
Detroiters to have a say in RenCen redevelopment
Axios reports that Detroiters will get a say in the RenCen redevelopment.
Also reported by: ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4
MLive: $1.6B RenCen plan is heading to public review
MLive.com reports a $1.6 billion plan for Detroit’s Renaissance Center is heading to public review.
Crain’s: Community benefits process starts for RenCen overhaul
Crain’s Detroit Business reports the community benefits process for the proposed massive overhaul of the Renaissance Center is starting.
WXYZ’s Spotlight to dive into RenCen and east riverfront future on Sunday
On Sunday, August 9, WXYZ’s Spotlight on the News takes a deep dive into the $1.6 billion redevelopment of the Renaissance Center and east riverfront.
Also reported by: WXYZ 7 News Detroit
Crain's: Almost everyone leaving the RenCen — except the Canadians
Crain's Detroit Business reports that almost everyone is leaving the RenCen, except for the Canadians. The outlet says the broader complex has been in flux the last several years.
Blue Cross Blue Shield to leave the RenCen, the last major office tenant
CoStar reports that Blue Cross Blue Shield will vacate Detroit’s Renaissance Center as its last major office tenant.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan plans to leave the RenCen
The Detroit Free Press reports that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan plans to leave the Renaissance Center.
Also reported by: Detroit Free Press
Blue Cross to leave the RenCen, last major office tenant exits
Crain's Detroit Business reports that Blue Cross, the last major office tenant, will leave the RenCen. The insurer had signed a long-term lease in 2023 after an office shakeup in the complex's eastern portion.
Hour Detroit looks back at the RenCen’s construction and evolution
Hour Detroit reports that Bill Dow revisits the Renaissance Center’s construction, opening, and evolution downtown.
GM, Bedrock move ahead on $1.6B RenCen overhaul after incentive cap raised
GM Authority reports GM and Bedrock are moving forward with the $1.6 billion Renaissance Center redevelopment after Michigan lawmakers raised a key incentive cap.
State approves $1.6B RenCen redo tied to $250M public funding
94.7 WCSX reports that state lawmakers approved a $1.6 billion plan to tear down and rebuild parts of the Renaissance Center, contingent on $250 million in public funding.
Michigan doubles big-project tax break, pushing the RenCen plan forward
WDET reports Michigan doubled a tax break for large developments, advancing the Renaissance Center plan, and two guests debate whether the public money is worth it.
Whitmer signs $3.2B brownfield expansion that could open the door for the RenCen
Crain's Detroit Business reports Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a brownfield law that takes effect immediately and doubles the post-construction transformational tax capture cap from $1.6 billion to $3.2 billion. The outlet says it could unlock potential RenCen redevelopment.
$34M in tax incentives for RenCen’s 600 Tower redevelopment
Crain’s Detroit Business reports the RenCen 600 Tower redevelopment landed $34 million in tax incentives from Detroit City Council. Plans call for the 21-story tower to become a hotel, apartments and condos, with potential office space.
What are the next steps for the RenCen redo?
The Detroit Free Press reports the next steps for redeveloping Detroit’s Renaissance Center.
Also reported by: Finance & Commerce
State expands key incentive, but RenCen plan still faces hurdles
Crain’s Detroit Business reports the state Legislature has signed off on expanding a key public incentive for large-scale development and redevelopment, affecting the RenCen vision. The outlet says the downtown complex still has hurdles to clear before work can begin.
Lawmakers double incentive cap, opening funds for RenCen remake
Crain's Detroit Business reports lawmakers doubled the incentive limit and the cap will become $3.2 billion under a bill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer plans to sign, freeing up funding sought for the RenCen transformation. The cap was nearly maxed out.
AFP-MI urges caution on proposed RenCen subsidies
Americans for Prosperity–Michigan on Thursday, June 4, in Lansing urged lawmakers to closely scrutinize proposals for additional taxpayer-funded incentives for redevelopment of Detroit’s Renaissance Center, warning against repeating costly economic development strategies.
House speaker open to raising brownfield cap sought for RenCen plan
Crain's Detroit Business reports the House speaker is open to raising the cap on transformational brownfield plans, a linchpin of the $1.6 billion proposal to partially demolish and renovate the Renaissance Center.
Opinion: Before any RenCen demolition, let Detroit imagine what it could become
The Michigan Chronicle reports that before demolishing the Renaissance Center, Detroit should be allowed to imagine what it could become.
Renaissance Center set for redevelopment, CBS News reports
CBS News reports the Renaissance Center will undergo redevelopment.
RenCen redevelopment is coming — what’s next?
CBS News reports the Renaissance Center is set to undergo redevelopment. From the riverfront to the skyline, the complex is one of downtown Detroit’s most recognizable symbols.
RenCen tower owner shifts to hotel-and-housing plan
Crain's Detroit Business reports the owner is abandoning office space after no interest and now plans a conversion to a 200-room hotel with 92 residential units.
GM logo removed from Detroit’s RenCen
Windsor News Today reports the GM logo is now gone from Detroit’s Renaissance Center, and from the Windsor riverfront it’s clear General Motors has moved out of the iconic complex.
Marriott logo goes up on the Renaissance Center, the former GM HQ
Detroit Free Press reports the Renaissance Center, the former GM HQ, now bears the Marriott logo.
When does work at the RenCen start? Crain’s video on needed steps
Crain’s Detroit Business has a video where senior reporter Kirk Pinho outlines the steps needed for the RenCen project to become a reality.
CBS News: Highlands Detroit enters its final months before RenCen construction
CBS News reports Highlands Detroit is in its final months before construction at the RenCen. The restaurant sits on the 71st and 72nd floors atop the Renaissance Center.
What’s happening inside the RenCen as GM moves HQ?
Colliers reports what’s happening inside the iconic Renaissance Center as GM moves its HQ.
Highlands Detroit will close in May 2027 at the RenCen’s 71–72 floors
94.7 WCSX reports that Highlands Detroit will close in May 2027; the restaurant sits on floors 71 and 72 of the Renaissance Center, where two towers face demolition.
Highlands plans to stay open at the RenCen through 2027 Final Four and Grand Prix
Crain's Detroit Business reports Highlands Detroit aims to stay open at the RenCen through the 2027 Final Four and Grand Prix. It is the latest upscale RenCen restaurant to set a closing date.
Highlands atop the RenCen sets a long timeline to close
The Detroit News reports that Highlands, the restaurant atop the RenCen, plans a lengthy timeline for closing.
Report: RenCen to be cut down to size
ConstructConnect reports Detroit’s Renaissance Center would be reduced in size. The piece notes the complex was built in the 1970s following the 1967 riot.
Also reported by: ConstructConnect News
Original RenCen tenant Franco moving to a new downtown office
Crain's Detroit Business reports public relations firm Franco is moving its 30-person staff about a mile up Woodward Avenue as GM empties the RenCen for development.
RenCen restaurants are open and operating despite quiet halls
WDIV Local 4 reports restaurants inside the Renaissance Center are fully operating and open for business, even with quiet halls.
$2.2B RenCen overhaul: twin towers to be torn down, 6-acre park added
The Windsor Star reports a $2.2 billion RenCen overhaul would tear down the twin towers and add a 6-acre public park, promenades, and uninterrupted access between downtown Detroit and the waterfront.
Report: RenCen Marriott would temporarily close after 2027 March Madness for demolition crews
Deadline Detroit reports the RenCen’s Detroit Marriott would temporarily close after the 2027 March Madness tournament for demolition crews.
Enjoyer.com on why GM is leaving the RenCen
Enjoyer.com says GM is leaving the RenCen for the new Hudson’s building, likening the move to trading an old partner for a much younger one.
Plan to tear down two RenCen towers advances
Dezeen reports that the plan to demolish two skyscrapers at Detroit's Renaissance Center has moved forward.
Bedrock’s incoming CEO talked RenCen makeover on WDIV’s Flashpoint
The Detroit Regional Chamber says Bedrock’s incoming CEO Jared Fleisher appeared on WDIV’s Flashpoint to discuss the Renaissance Center makeover and the riverfront vision.
$75 million in DDA funding set for RenCen and riverfront plan
ClickOnDetroit reports that Bedrock and General Motors’ plan to revitalize the Renaissance Center and riverfront is set to receive $75 million from the Downtown Development Authority.
Crain’s: First public money lands for RenCen redevelopment
Crain’s Detroit Business reports the proposed redevelopment of the Renaissance Center has secured its first batch of public funding.
FOX 2: $75 million to demolish two RenCen towers
FOX 2 Detroit reports $75 million is earmarked to demolish two river-facing RenCen towers and turn the concrete-heavy area into a space resembling Chicago’s Navy Pier.
Bedrock move to the East Riverfront builds buzz
The Detroit News reports that Bedrock’s move into the East Riverfront is building buzz for the district.
Bedrock buys the 108-room Roberts Riverwalk Hotel on the east riverfront
REBusinessOnline reports that Bedrock has acquired the 108-room Roberts Riverwalk Hotel in Detroit’s east riverfront.
Bedrock buys shuttered boutique hotel on the Detroit riverfront
The Detroit Free Press reports that Bedrock bought a shuttered boutique hotel on the Detroit riverfront.
Bedrock buys the riverfront Roberts Riverwalk Hotel
The Detroit News reports Bedrock has purchased the riverfront Roberts Riverwalk Hotel.
Bedrock buys the Stroh River Place site on the riverfront
The Detroit News reports Bedrock bought the Stroh River Place site on the Detroit riverfront.
02 / Your say
When and where can you weigh in?
The RenCen’s future is being decided right now: public meetings, hearings and the Community Benefits process. Here are the next dates in Detroit time, with registration, agendas, and the slides and recordings from earlier meetings.
-
29September6 p.m.
Community Benefits meeting (NAC) · Happening now
The NAC presents the impacts and its community-benefits wish list
The nine-member Neighborhood Advisory Council lays out what the neighborhood wants in return for the project. Register, then come in person or watch on Zoom.
📍 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Erma Henderson Auditorium, 13th floor, 2 Woodward Ave. (also on Zoom)
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30September5 p.m.
DBRA Community Advisory Committee (DBRA-CAC)
Special meeting on the brownfield plan
The brownfield authority’s community advisory committee holds a special meeting at the DEGC offices, also on Zoom. To speak, email the DEGC contact named in the notice before it starts.
📍 DEGC, 150 W. Jefferson Ave., Suite 1700 (and Zoom)
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30September5:30 p.m.
Community Hub · session
What should the riverfront public space be like?
A Riverfront Conservancy panel, then small-group talks about what belongs on the riverfront.
📍 East Riverfront Community Hub, Beaubien Place, 521 Atwater St.
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6October6 p.m.
Community Benefits meeting (NAC)
NAC working meeting
📍 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Erma Henderson Auditorium, 13th floor, 2 Woodward Ave. (also on Zoom)
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8October5 p.m.
Community Hub · session
The river as a maritime asset: what should Detroit do with the water?
📍 East Riverfront Community Hub, 521 Atwater St.
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13October6 p.m.
Community Benefits meeting (NAC)
The developers respond to the neighborhood’s asks
📍 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Erma Henderson Auditorium, 13th floor, 2 Woodward Ave. (also on Zoom)
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14October4 p.m.
Community Hub · session
What’s in the riverfront for small businesses?
📍 East Riverfront Community Hub, 521 Atwater St.
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20October6 p.m.
Community Benefits meeting (NAC)
More on the impacts, and the community benefits package is finalized
On the City’s schedule, the NAC may vote on the agreement here.
📍 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Erma Henderson Auditorium, 13th floor, 2 Woodward Ave. (also on Zoom)
How to have your say
- Write to the advisory council
The NAC wants proposals, ideas and best practices on what the neighborhood should get in return. Their address: RenCenNAC@gmail.com.
Deadline: September 30, 2026
Email the NAC ↗ - Come to a meeting, or watch on Zoom
Meetings start at 6 p.m. (registration and refreshments from 5:30) on the 13th floor of the municipal center, with parking validated at the Ford Underground Garage (30 E. Jefferson). One sign-up covers every meeting; the City says Zoom spots may be limited, so in person is encouraged.
Register ↗ - Take Bedrock’s survey
What would you like on the east riverfront: food, things to do on the water, winter fun, shops? The developer’s survey asks exactly that.
The survey ↗ - Drop by the community hub
Bedrock’s East Riverfront Community Hub is at 521 Atwater Street: Wednesday to Friday 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The front desk validates up to two hours of free parking.
Project site ↗ - Get the City’s updates
The City emails updates on the project’s Community Benefits process. We show them here, live.
Subscribe with the City ↗ - Need an interpreter or accommodations?
For ASL, Spanish, Arabic or Bengali interpreters or ADA accommodations at City meetings, ask seven days ahead: 313-224-4950 (TTY 711), crio@detroitmi.gov.
Email the City ↗ - What comes next at City Council?
City Council’s Planning and Economic Development committee will hold a hearing on the brownfield plan, then the full Council votes, expected around November. We’ll show the date here as soon as it’s posted.
City Council calendar ↗
Earlier meetings: slides and recordings (5)
- Brownfield Authority (DBRA) · public hearing: Public hearing on the RenCen and Rivereast District brownfield plan Document ↗
- Community Benefits meeting (NAC): Working meeting: what are the impacts, and what should the neighborhood ask for? Slides ↗ Recording ↗
- Community Benefits meeting (NAC): The NAC’s first meeting: project details and the incentives requested Slides ↗ Recording ↗
- Community Benefits meeting (NAC): Project introduction, and residents elect two members of the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) Slides ↗ Recording ↗
- Community Benefits meeting (NAC): Introducing the project and the Community Benefits process Slides ↗ Recording ↗
03 / Project tracker
Where does the project stand?
From the announcement through demolition to the finished park. Every step carries its date and source, and nothing is marked done until it has actually been approved.
- Done
April 15, 2024
GM says it’s leaving
GM moves its global headquarters to Bedrock’s Hudson’s Detroit on an initial 15-year lease, and sets out to decide the RenCen’s future with Bedrock, the City and Wayne County.10
- Done
November 24, 2024
The “right-size” concept
Bedrock and GM propose removing the podium and the two office towers nearest the river, turning the other three into hotel, housing and office space, with a promenade along the water.1112
- Done
March 4, 2025
No historic-district study
City Council votes 8-1 against a historic-district study, even though staff found the RenCen eligible.1314
- Done
November 12, 2025
The DDA commits up to $75 million
The Downtown Development Authority would pay $20 million toward podium demolition and $55 million for the Jefferson promenade, plazas and roads, from 2027 to 2033. If City Council and the Michigan Strategic Fund haven’t approved the plan by March 31, 2027, the money is void.15
- Done
January 12, 2026
GM moves to Hudson’s Detroit
Thirty years of GM at the RenCen end: staff start work on Woodward Avenue, and the logo comes off the tallest tower that same month.1617
- Done
July 21, 2026
Lansing doubles the brownfield cap
The governor signs Public Act 36 of 2026: the statewide Transformational Brownfield cap goes from $1.6 billion to $3.2 billion, with $300 million max for any single plan.1819
- Done
August 18, 2026
The Community Benefits process begins
The first public meeting officially debuts the plan and its renderings. About 4,600 people live in the impact area, the City says.120
- Done
September 15, 2026
The numbers come out
A $2.237 billion budget and $472.93 million in new public incentives on top of the $75 million DDA money already approved. About $548 million in all.2122
- Done
September 18, 2026
The 144-page brownfield plan is posted
The Transformational Brownfield Plan sets out the phases through 2036, and says the $300 million from the state can only go to RenCen work.3
- Now
September 29, 2026
Public hearing and the NAC’s wish list
At 5 p.m. the brownfield authority takes public comment on the plan; at 6 p.m. the advisory council presents what the neighborhood wants in return.21
- Up next
October 20, 2026
The community benefits package is finalized
On the City’s schedule, the NAC may vote on the agreement at this meeting. If needed, one more round follows on October 27.18
- Later
November 2026
City Council: hearing and vote
The plan expects the Renaissance Zone, the PA 210 abatement and the brownfield plan itself to reach City Council in November. The Michigan Strategic Fund comes after that.39
- Deadline
March 31, 2027
Deadline: City Council and the MSF must approve
Without both approvals by this date, the DDA’s $75 million commitment voids itself.15
- Later
April 5, 2027
Final Four: everything stays until then
The hotel is needed for the men’s Final Four at Ford Field. Demolition prep can only begin after the April 5 championship game.2324
- Later
June 30, 2027
Podium demolition could begin
The DDA terms place podium demolition between June 30, 2027 and December 31, 2028. Press reports say the two towers will be taken apart piece by piece, not imploded.1525
- Later
2031
Phase 1 complete
The target: the reworked center tower with 858 hotel rooms, 200 apartments and an observation deck, ringed by 9.4 acres of new public space.3
- Later
2036
Every phase finished
By the end of 2036 the plan has the Tower 100 apartments, the Tower 200 upgrade and RiverEast’s last phase all done. (One station first reported 2038, later corrected.)326
04 / Time machine
Slide through the years and watch the skyline change
Seven towers, fifty years. See what went up in 1977 and 1981, what changed under GM, and which two towers the plan would take down.
1972: The riverbank still holds warehouses, an old Packard warehouse, an abandoned rail yard and a grain silo. But Henry Ford II and John Portman are already showing off the model.2728
1977: Five towers at once: the center hotel tower, billed at 73 stories and the world’s tallest hotel, ringed by four 39-story office towers.293031
1981: Phase II arrives: two 21-story office towers to the east, 500 and 600, making seven buildings in all.3230
1996: GM buys the complex for a reported $72–73 million and moves its world headquarters in.3334
2004: The $500 million makeover is done: a glass Wintergarden facing the river, the concrete berms along Jefferson gone, a new People Mover station.293536
2026: GM is gone, and the developers say the office towers are less than 10% leased. The plan would take down the two towers outlined in red, 300 and 400, together with the podium.337
2028: If the schedule holds, the two riverside towers and most of the podium are gone by the end of 2028. Towers 500 and 600 aren’t part of the project; they have had other owners since 2023.1538
2031: Phase 1’s target: 858 hotel rooms and 200 apartments in the center tower, a 71st-floor restaurant, a public observation deck on floors 72–73, and 9.4 acres of new parks and plazas below.3
2036: Tower 100 becomes 384 apartments, Tower 200 stays offices, and to the east come a marina, a waterfront green and two new apartment buildings. On the plan, every phase is done by now.321
A simplified view from the river with heights to scale. Tower positions are schematic, not a map.
05 / The plan
What would the RenCen become?
Bedrock and GM want to remake the RenCen and the east riverfront together. Every number is marked as coming from an official document or from press reports.
Towers official figure
2 towers
Which two towers would go?
The two 39-story office towers nearest the river, 300 and 400, plus most of the five-story podium linking the towers, which would shrink from 1.5 million to 850,000 square feet. A year-round riverfront park would take their place.339
Center tower official figure
858 + 200
Hotel, apartments and a view from the top
The tallest tower stays: 858 hotel rooms with conference and event space, 200 market-rate apartments, a destination restaurant on the 71st floor and a public observation deck on floors 72–73.321
Tower 100 official figure
384 homes
From offices to homes
Tower 100 becomes about 384 apartments, 134 of them affordable at up to 80% of area median income and finished to the same standard as the market units. Planned for 2033 to 2036.321
Tower 200 official figure
Stays offices
The one office tower left
A new lobby, facade repairs and new elevators, built out floor by floor as tenants sign. Planned for 2034 to 2036, earlier if demand shows up.321
Housing official figure
934 homes
How many homes, and how many affordable?
A total of 934: 200 in the center tower, 384 in Tower 100 and about 350 in two new RiverEast buildings. The DEGC counts 205 affordable; the plan commits to at least 20%.2131
Public space official figure
18 acres
Parks, plazas and a marina
Plus 9.4 acres around the RenCen, the 1.1-acre Franklin-Atwater park spine, a 4.5-acre waterfront green and a 3-acre marina. A pedestrian promenade would cross 180-foot-wide Jefferson Avenue to tie downtown to the river.321
RiverEast official figure
~30 acres
What goes where the parking lots are?
To the east, the roughly 30-acre RiverEast District: a marina and wharf, waterfront dining and shops, family entertainment (ideas include a cinema, a water park and indoor sports) and two apartment buildings. Exact uses depend on community input and the market.321
Cost official figure
$2.237B
What does it cost, and who pays?
That’s $1.613 billion for the RenCen and $624.1 million for RiverEast. Funding: $1.66 billion investor equity (74%), $504.8 million debt and $75 million from the DDA. For the RenCen part, Bedrock puts in $1 billion and GM $250 million.321
Public money official figure
~$548M
How much public money is on the table?
That’s $300 million in state tax capture through the brownfield plan over 30 years, a $133.81 million Renaissance Zone, a $39.12 million PA 210 abatement, plus the $75 million from the DDA already approved. The DEGC says the incentives make the project feasible rather than lucrative: cash-on-cash return goes from -0.8% to 1.0%.21315
State money official figure
96 + 82 + 90 + 32
Where would the $300 million go?
RenCen work only: $96 million for demolition, $82 million for roads, parks and plazas, $90 million for Phase 1 buildings and $32 million for Tower 100. Tower 200 and RiverEast get none of it.3
Jobs official figure
8,243 + 2,754
How many jobs?
About 8,243 construction jobs (averaging about $62,000) and 2,754 permanent direct jobs, mostly in RiverEast entertainment, sports and retail, according to the plan.321
The City’s math official figure
$301.5M
What does the City get out of it?
The DEGC projects a 30-year net benefit to the City of $301.5 million with the project, versus $21.3 million without it. The developer opts out of the city income-tax exemption, so the City keeps that tax.213
Why does everyone quote a different number?
Because they count different things: the RenCen alone or the east riverfront too, tax breaks only or all public money, and on which date. Here they are side by side, with sources.
What does it cost: $1.6 billion or $2.24 billion?
- $1.6B RenCen only, concept stage (2024–2026)1112
- $1.613B RenCen only, official plan figure3
- $2.237B RenCen plus RiverEast at $624.1M213
Since September 15 the east riverfront has been part of the total. Press rounds both.
Public money: $473 million or $548 million?
- $472.93M new incentives only: brownfield plan, Renaissance Zone, PA 2102140
- ~$548M the same, plus the $75M DDA money already approved22
- $250M → $300M the state ask: $300M is the new per-plan cap413
Same package: the only difference is whether the DDA money is counted.
How big is the park: 6, 9.4, 17 or 18 acres?
- ~6 acres riverfront freed at the RenCen, 2024 concept42
- 9.4 acres new public space inside the RenCen footprint3
- 17 acres City CBO page and August decks1
- 18 acres since September 15, marina included213
The number grew as RiverEast and the marina were added. “A 30-acre park” is press shorthand; that’s all of RiverEast’s land.
How many parking spaces?
No source explains the gap. The 5,532 may count existing public garages too, but that’s unconfirmed.
When is it done: 2036 or 2038?
The 2038 was an error; the plan says the end of 2036.
How many floors, how many rooms?
- 73 / 70 numbered to 73, but 7, 8 and 13 are skipped: 70 real floors4431
- ~1,300 → 858 hotel rooms today and after3
Some stories say 72 floors or 1,200 rooms; those are roundings.
What are people saying for and against?
For it
- Bedrock and GM say they studied the options for over two years. The four office towers are less than 10% occupied: filling them at 2025’s leasing pace would take about 82 years, and converting every tower to housing would cost about $400 million per tower, roughly $1 million per apartment.372045
- Support letters attached to the plan come from the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Downtown Detroit Partnership, Detroit Regional Chamber, Visit Detroit, Greektown Neighborhood Partnership, Jefferson East Inc., the Joe Louis Greenway Partnership and three unions.3
- The DEGC projects a $301.5 million 30-year net benefit for the City with the project, $21.3 million without it.21
Questions and criticism
- Preservation Detroit, Docomomo US/Michigan, the Michigan Historic Preservation Network and NOMA Detroit want to keep all five towers, citing the skyline’s meaning, embodied carbon and reuse successes like Michigan Central.4647
- Subsidy critics: the Mackinac Center says the brownfield program underdelivered, and Americans for Prosperity-Michigan asked for rigorous scrutiny. Locally, Detroiters for Tax Justice objected to diverting revenue that pays for schools and services.484922
- CDAD called the summer CBO schedule rushed and the impact area (about 4,600 residents) too narrow. Only 2 of the 9 NAC members were elected by residents.3950
- As of September 29, 2026 we found no lawsuit or formal petition against the project. Preservation Detroit asks supporters to contact City Council instead.47
What residents are asking for
- Is 80% of area median income really affordable in Detroit? Residents want deeper affordability for people earning under $40,000 and for seniors, plus an affordable-housing trust fund.822
- Jobs: Detroiters first, union jobs and living wages, apprenticeships, openings for Black workers and businesses, and security for current RenCen workers.8
- Independent oversight, third-party financial checks, a say in future amendments, and a guarantee of no new public money if costs rise over the ten-year build.8
- Keep the Riverwalk open during construction, design for birds on a migration route, and monitor air, noise and water. Some want all five towers kept; others ask why not remove all five.839
- Tell Detroit’s history on the site, including the Underground Railroad and Black history, and keep meaningful pieces of the RenCen rather than erase them.8
06 / History
How did a glass fortress become Detroit’s calling card?
From Henry Ford II’s dream through the GM years to today’s overhaul: dates, people and turning points, every one sourced.
1960s
A flour mill and a grain silo where the towers stand
Before the towers, this stretch of riverfront east of the Civic Center was downtown’s industrial edge: warehouses, and not a single home. Accounts from the 1970s mention a flour mill, an old Packard warehouse, an abandoned rail yard and a grain silo right where the RenCen stands now.273551
July 1967
A shrinking city looks for a big move
The July 1967 uprising sped up an exodus of residents and businesses that was already under way. Detroit had almost 2 million people in 1950, about 1.5 million by 1970 and 1.2 million by 1980. Business leaders went looking for something big and visible to turn the tide.3529
November 20, 1970
Detroit Renaissance is born
On November 20, 1970, the Detroit Chamber of Commerce got Henry Ford II, Max Fisher, Mayor Roman Gribbs and Governor George Romney in one room. The group took the name Detroit Renaissance, with one goal: get private money flowing downtown again after 1967. Max Fisher’s own archive lists him among the 1970 founders.275230
November 24, 1971
Henry Ford II rolls out a $500 million riverfront plan
On November 24, 1971, Henry Ford II laid the proposal before the Common Council (today’s City Council): a tall hotel plus offices and shops on the river. The Detroit News called it a $500 million riverfront plan, the biggest building venture in the city’s history. Ford publicly gave Max Fisher the credit for the idea.275330
1970s
The city’s own planner said no
Charles Blessing, Detroit’s chief city planner at the time, opposed the project. His worry: the complex would be cut off from the very downtown it was supposed to revive. Later critics said the same thing.54
May 15, 1972
Ford and Portman show off the model
A photo dated May 15, 1972, shows Henry Ford II and Atlanta architect John Portman presenting a model of the complex, so Portman was on board by that spring at the latest. He had just built Atlanta’s Peachtree Center, and its cylindrical Westin Peachtree Plaza tower was the direct model for Detroit’s central tower.2827
1970s
March 22, 1973
Who won the $5,000?
On March 22, 1973, the naming contest had its winner: Roger Lennert, 21, who worked at Ex-Cell-O Corp., took home $5,000. His mom had actually mailed the entry, and 352 other people also suggested “Renaissance Center,” but his explanation won. There were 141,537 entries; the favorites, with 542 each, were Motor City Plaza and The Hub, and car puns like Carmelot and Carmopolis rolled in too.355655
May 22, 1973
1973
About 50 companies, rivals included
Henry Ford II talked roughly 50 other companies into investing alongside Ford, including rival automakers American Motors and Chrysler (Chrysler reportedly put in $1.5 million). Sources range from “more than 40” to 52, so the exact count is disputed. The biggest partner was Ford’s own real estate arm, Ford Motor Land Development.27585535
1973
How much concrete do five towers take?
The first five towers took almost 400,000 cubic yards of concrete, 40,000 tons of structural steel and 2 million square feet of glass. About 7,000 construction workers built them. At about $350 million, it was billed as the largest privately funded real estate development in the country at the time.293534
1970s
A union job, and one fatal fall
Ford promised an all-union crew. The Detroit Free Press told of one worker who slipped and fell about 30 feet but landed on scaffolding. Timothy Nester wasn’t so lucky: he fell four stories while working on a skylight and died.55
July 1, 1976
August 22, 1976
Early doubts: only 30 percent leased
A long Detroit Free Press feature on August 22, 1976, compared the rising mass to the monolith in “2001” and asked: would it spark a renaissance, or simply become downtown? Only 30 percent of the four towers’ 2.4 million square feet of offices was leased. J.L. Hudson’s looked at moving in but passed, and the Buhl Building’s owner called it a glass menagerie.35
March 1977
The Detroit Plaza Hotel opens and nearly doubles downtown’s rooms
The central tower opened in March 1977 as the Detroit Plaza Hotel, run by Western International Hotels (later Westin). It added about 1,400 rooms to a downtown that had only about 1,600, nearly doubling the supply. The restaurants opened at the same time, and up top sat The Summit, a revolving restaurant.61623530
Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions 1977
Tallest hotel on Earth, tallest building in Michigan
At 727 feet, the tower became the tallest hotel in the world when it opened, beating Portman’s own Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta. It also became Michigan’s tallest building, ending the Penobscot Building’s 49-year run, and it still held that title in 2024.29273035
Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions April 15, 1977
Dedication day: Ford shakes hands with Florence’s communist mayor
On April 15, 1977, Henry Ford II and Mayor Coleman Young unveiled a plaque honoring the private investors. Young’s surprise guest was Elio Gabbuggiani, communist mayor of Florence, the original Renaissance city; Cold War politics nearly blocked his trip, and his handshake with Ford became the picture of the day. That night 650 guests paid $300 a couple at a Detroit Symphony Orchestra benefit, and President Jimmy Carter wired his congratulations.27306362
Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions 1977
In front of Balthazar Korab’s lens
Balthazar Korab, a Budapest-born architectural photographer based in the Detroit area, shot the brand-new Phase I complex in 1977. He photographed it again from the water in December 1979, and his studio shot it in 2007. The Library of Congress bought the images along with the Korab archive in 2011.64656667
Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions July 16, 1980
Reagan, Ford and a long night on the 69th floor
During the Republican National Convention at nearby Joe Louis Arena, July 14–17, 1980, Ronald Reagan and his top advisers worked out of a 69th-floor suite at the Detroit Plaza Hotel. On the third night the talks about a Reagan–Gerald Ford “dream ticket” played out in the tower, and Ford came up to Reagan’s suite late that night. When the deal fell apart, Reagan picked George Bush shortly after midnight.68693070
David Wipf · CC BY 2.0 1981
Enter the Rockefellers: two more towers
In 1979 Ford announced it would fund Phase II together with David Rockefeller’s interests, and work began on two 21-story office towers east of the original five. They were finished in 1981, bringing the complex to seven buildings. One Detroit Historical Society article puts the end of the phase in 1982.273271303329
Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions April 28, 1982
Ford makes a sale that never closes
On April 28, 1982, Henry Ford II announced that the hotel, the four original office towers and the podium would go to investors led by Chicago real estate man Theodore Netzky. Ford admitted the original investors were getting back less than they had put in; the price wasn’t disclosed, and Towers 500 and 600 weren’t part of the deal. By January 1983 the Netzky group still had no financing.7158
June 6, 1982
January 11, 1983
A missed payment on a $200 million mortgage
On January 11, 1983, the main lenders declared the complex in default on its $200 million mortgage after a missed $10 million payment, with losses already at $140 million. Six days later the city learned that $2.2 million in property taxes wouldn’t be paid either. The offices were about 95 percent full, but only 40 percent of the retail space was occupied, and the hotel averaged 60 percent.58
1986
July 31, 1987
The People Mover pulls in
The Detroit People Mover opened on July 31, 1987, with its own Renaissance Center station, the first major addition to the complex. The original station was built into the big concrete berm on the Jefferson Avenue side and decorated with George Woodman’s tile work.3627
artistmac · CC BY-SA 2.0 May 16, 1996
GM buys its rival’s landmark
On Thursday, May 16, 1996, General Motors said it would buy the complex and move its world headquarters there from the Albert Kahn–designed GM Building in New Center. The seller was Highgate Hotels, a Texas firm that had just agreed to buy it from the original partnership, which included both Ford and GM. The price was never disclosed; reports put it at $72–73 million. Ford, with ten years left on its lease, became GM’s tenant.33343530
November 11, 1996
GM’s chairman moves in on Veterans Day
On Veterans Day 1996, GM chairman John F. “Jack” Smith Jr. and other top officers moved onto the 38th and 39th floors of Tower 100. They had turned down an early idea to put them on the 13th and 14th. The rest of the staff followed over several years as leases ran out.7533
1998
1999
A glass ring so you stop getting lost
To fix the maze, GM added a suspended glass walkway about 12 feet wide that loops roughly an eighth of a mile around the atrium and links the towers. Each glass panel weighs about 400 pounds. A Blue Cross blog dates it to 1999; other sources just list it as part of the renovation finished in 2004.35295678
Mikerussell · CC BY-SA 3.0 December 15, 2001
The Wintergarden opens the RenCen to the river
GM staff and tenants got a sneak peek at the five-story glass atrium on December 6, 2001, and it opened to the public on December 15 with the Detroit 300 Gala, which closed out the city’s 300th-birthday year. It rises 103 feet, with a roof of about 1,400 glass panes and ten 40-foot palm trees inside. It opened the complex up to the riverfront.77793530
September 2002
The berms come down
In September 2002 the People Mover’s original Renaissance Center station came down, along with the concrete berms around it on Jefferson Avenue. The berms held heating and cooling equipment and were the most criticized part of the design. A glass entrance pavilion and a plaza took their place.36763559
piotr iłowiecki from POLAND · CC BY-SA 2.0 November 22, 2004
A new People Mover station over the entrance
The rebuilt Renaissance Center station opened on November 22, 2004, above GM’s new Jefferson Avenue entrance. George Woodman designed a new tile work for it, called “Path Games.”3676
Mikerussell · CC BY-SA 3.0 2004
The makeover is done
GM’s roughly $500 million renovation wrapped up in 2004: the Wintergarden, the glass ring, a new Jefferson entrance, the GM World showroom and a hotel makeover reported at $100 million. Detroit Free Press critic John Gallagher later wrote that only after GM bought it did the complex become what it should have been all along.293530
Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions February 2006
Super Bowl XL’s media hub
When Super Bowl XL was played at Ford Field on February 5, 2006, the RenCen was the media center. The Wintergarden housed media operations, and ESPN broadcast from there.807930
Mikerussell at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 September 16, 2008
GM turns 100 and shows off the Volt
On September 16, 2008, GM celebrated its 100th birthday at its RenCen headquarters and unveiled the production Chevrolet Volt there. CEO Rick Wagoner called the car a symbol of the company’s future.8130
Mike Russell · CC BY-SA 3.0 2009
GM almost moved to Warren
During GM’s 2009 bankruptcy, CEO Fritz Henderson proposed moving headquarters out of the RenCen to the Technical Center in suburban Warren. According to columnist Rick Haglund, the Obama administration, which was financing the bankruptcy, shot the idea down as too damaging to Detroit.54
July 29, 2010
September 2011
June 30, 2015
December 29, 2017
2018
For sale? GM talks to Dan Gilbert
In fall 2018 GM talked with Dan Gilbert about selling him the complex, but the talks didn’t get far, mostly because of the cost of replacing the heating and cooling systems. GM had already canceled some planned renovations in 2017 and had tried to sell the Marriott hotel.8586
November 2019
July 19, 2022
Barra: we’re staying, for now
On July 19, 2022, GM CEO Mary Barra said headquarters would stay at the RenCen, while admitting she couldn’t promise what would happen over the next 5 to 15 years. By then GM used only about one and a half of the seven buildings.88
December 2022
December 21, 2023
Tower 500 changes hands twice in one day
On December 21, 2023, an affiliate of New Jersey utility PSEG sold Towers 500 and 600 to a group that included Farmington Hills–based Friedman Real Estate, reportedly for about $15 million. The same day, Tower 500 was flipped to a Florida investor for $30.4 million.353889
April 15, 2024
GM announces it’s leaving
On April 15, 2024, GM and Bedrock announced that GM’s global headquarters would move in 2025 to the new Hudson’s Detroit development a few blocks up Woodward. GM signed an initial 15-year lease for the top office floors plus street-level showroom space. GM, Bedrock, the city and Wayne County agreed to spend about a year studying the RenCen’s future.9091929334
November 25, 2024
The plan: two towers come down
On November 25, 2024, GM and Bedrock unveiled a $1.6 billion concept: tear down Towers 300 and 400 on the river side and most of the podium, and open up about six acres of riverfront. The central tower would stay a hotel with apartments on its upper floors, and another tower would become housing. The plan leaned on public money, which drew criticism in Lansing.9430
CucombreLibre from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 January 12, 2026
GM’s last day at the RenCen
On Monday, January 12, 2026, GM employees started work at the new Hudson’s Detroit headquarters, ending almost 30 years at the Renaissance Center, and GM signs started coming down that same morning. It’s GM’s fourth headquarters, back on Woodward Avenue where the company started.959630
Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Myths and facts
- False
Jimmy Hoffa is buried in the RenCen’s foundations.
The whole story rests on one secondhand source: Hoffa’s former driver, Marvin Elkind, quoted in a 2011 book, said a mobster hinted at it years later. No evidence has ever turned up. And construction started in May 1973, more than two years before Hoffa vanished on July 30, 1975.979827
- False
RoboCop’s OCP tower is the RenCen, and the movie was shot here.
RoboCop (1987) is set in Detroit but was shot mostly in Dallas. The OCP headquarters is Dallas City Hall, extended with optical effects, and the boardroom scenes were filmed in Dallas’s Renaissance Tower. That’s where the mix-up comes from.99100
- False
The RenCen was built as Ford’s world headquarters.
Ford’s real estate arm led the investor partnership, and Ford rented one office tower for about 1,700 employees, but its headquarters stayed in Dearborn. In 1996 Ford simply became GM’s tenant.71333485
- Partly true
The concrete berms on Jefferson Avenue were built as riot barricades.
The berms held the heating and cooling equipment. Critics and some people at the time saw them as fortress walls, and some believed they could seal the complex off during unrest, but no source shows that was what they were designed for.30543529
- True
The RenCen is so big it has its own ZIP code.
- Partly true
It’s the tallest hotel in the world.
Only from 1977 to 1986. That year Singapore’s 226-meter Westin Stamford opened and took the title.293074
- False
It’s still the tallest all-hotel skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.
People still repeat it, but it’s out of date. New York’s Courtyard & Residence Inn at 1717 Broadway (753 feet, completed 2013) was billed as the tallest stand-alone hotel in the Western Hemisphere. Fontainebleau Las Vegas (735 feet, a hotel and casino, 2023) also tops the RenCen’s 727 feet.10110210331
- False
It lost the tallest-hotel title in 1980 to the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.
That hotel is much shorter. The title went to Singapore in 1986.10430
- Partly true
The hotel tower has 73 floors.
The top floor is numbered 73, but numbers 7, 8 and 13 are skipped, so there are 70 actual floors. That’s how the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and SkyscraperPage count it.4431
- Partly true
GM paid exactly $73 million.
The price was never officially disclosed. On the day, the Associated Press reported a $72 million asking price; $73 million is the most repeated figure, and versions from $70 million to $96 million float around. The safe way to put it: a reported $72–73 million.337529
- Partly true
GM spent a billion dollars renovating the RenCen.
The documented renovation program was $500 million. Estimates of about $1 billion throw in the riverfront work and later spending.29353086
- False
The RenCen was built with taxpayer money.
It was privately financed and billed as the largest privately funded real estate development in the U.S. at the time. The 2024 redevelopment plan is the first to ask for big public subsidies.295530
- False
The rooftop restaurant still revolves.
The revolving restaurant stopped turning around 2002. Its successors, Coach Insignia (2004) and the Highlands (2019), stay put.105106
- Partly true
Ford sold the RenCen in 1982.
A sale to a group led by Theodore Netzky was announced in April 1982, but the buyers couldn’t finance it. The original partnership kept the complex until 1996.715833
- True
People get lost in the RenCen.
True. The maze reputation goes back to opening day, and critics wrote about it. GM’s glass ring was added specifically to fix wayfinding, and even in 2015 moviegoers said the cinema was hard to find.355429
The RenCen on screen
- Promotional film with a jazz-funk 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' (1976)
It was a movie star before it opened: a promo film shot on detailed models ran to a jazz-funk take on “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” a wink at 2001: A Space Odyssey. The half-built steel frame also shows up in a public service film about the city’s new EMS and in a convention bureau film urging people to take another look at Detroit.27
- Skyline symbol (1977)
A 2017 Detroit Historical Society piece ranks it with the Old English D and the Joe Louis fist as a symbol of Detroit, and its image has been on countless brochures and national sports broadcasts. Nicknames: RenCen, Ren Cen, “city within a city,” GM RenCen and, officially since July 2015, GMRENCEN. A 1976 critic called it a glass menagerie.27543530
- 1980 Republican National Convention (1980)
Ronald Reagan’s suite was on the 69th floor of the Detroit Plaza Hotel, and that’s where the Reagan–Ford “dream ticket” talks fell apart. The convention itself was at nearby Joe Louis Arena.6869
- Detroit Grand Prix (Formula One) (1982)
The first Detroit Grand Prix ran on June 6, 1982, on a street circuit wrapped around the complex. Formula One cars raced at the foot of the towers.7273
- Action Jackson (1988)
You can spot the RenCen in the opening minutes. It keeps coming back in the establishing shots, too.8410730
- Collision Course (1989)
Jay Leno and Pat Morita’s buddy-cop comedy was shot in Detroit in 1986. Both the complex’s own website and Wikipedia list the RenCen as a location.8430
- Bird on a Wire (1990)
A chase scene in the Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn movie was shot inside the building. So this time you get the inside, not just the skyline.8430
- Renaissance Man (1994)
The movie opens with Danny DeVito driving down Jefferson Avenue to a meeting inside the complex. With that title, where else would it start?8430
- Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
The towers show up in establishing shots. Most of the movie, though, was filmed in Southern California.10830
- Out of Sight (1998)
Clooney and Lopez’s key dinner scene is set in the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel tower. The exteriors show up too.10510930
- MLB All-Star Game tower wrap (2005)
For the 2005 MLB All-Star Game, the central tower was wrapped with a giant baseball crashing into it. The label gave the distance to Comerica Park’s home plate: 4,612 feet.30
- Super Bowl XL (2006)
The complex was the media center for Super Bowl XL. ESPN broadcast from the Wintergarden.8079
- Killshot (2008)
Mickey Rourke’s crime thriller opens with him driving on Jefferson and walking into the Marriott. Locals will know exactly where he is.8430
- Real Steel (2011)
The RenCen lobby plays the lobby of the “Spectrum” fight arena. The arena itself is Cobo, now Huntington Place.11030
- Need for Speed (2014)
The complex plays a big part in the Detroit sequences. If you’re watching for the towers, you won’t wait long.11130
- GM 'Dr. EV-il' Super Bowl LVI ad (2022)
In GM’s 2022 Super Bowl ad, Dr. Evil and his crew seize GM’s RenCen headquarters to promote electric vehicles. As a teaser, his face showed up on the tower screens.11230
07 / Today
What can you do at the RenCen today?
The towers are still open for business: the hotel, restaurants, the Wintergarden, the RiverWalk and the People Mover station. Check each place’s own site before you go.
Hotel · Open
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
The center tower is a hotel of about 1,300 rooms today, with the entrance on Level 3. It stays open through the April 2027 Final Four and into mid-2027, then closes temporarily and returns with 858 rooms.113324
Dining up top · Open
Highlands & High Bar
On floors 71–72 since 2019, closing in May 2027. The plan keeps a 71st-floor restaurant and adds a public observation deck above it.114115116
⏱ Mon–Thu 5–9:30 p.m., Fri–Sat 4:30–10 p.m., closed Sun
Official site ↗Restaurant · Open
Joe Muer Seafood
Riverview seafood on Level 1 of Tower 400, one of the towers slated to come down. It expects to stay until June 2027 and remain downtown afterward.11711542
⏱ Mon–Fri 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 4–10 p.m., Sun 3–9 p.m.
Official site ↗Restaurant · Open
Andiamo Detroit Riverfront
Italian restaurant on the Wintergarden level that validates up to three hours in the Beaubien Garage. The owner said it would leave around the end of 2026, but it still takes reservations.11811542
⏱ Mon–Thu 3–10 p.m., Fri 3–11 p.m., Sat noon–11 p.m., Sun 2–9 p.m.
Official site ↗
Attraction · Open
GM Wintergarden & Riverwalk
The five-story glass atrium has faced the river since 2001 and opens onto GM Plaza and the Detroit Riverwalk, which draws nearly 3 million visitors a year. The Riverwalk is open daily 6 a.m.–10 p.m.119120
Official site ↗
Transit · Open
People Mover · Renaissance Center
The station is on Level 2 of Tower 200, rides are free, and cars come about every 8–12 minutes. See the next departures live below.121122
⏱ Mon–Fri 6:30 a.m.–midnight, Sat 10 a.m.–midnight, Sun 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
Official site ↗
To Canada · Open
Detroit–Windsor Tunnel & Tunnel Bus
The tunnel entrance is right next to the RenCen, open 24/7. The LINQ Tunnel Bus to Windsor leaves from Tunnel Plaza by Mariners’ Church: $19 one way, cards only.123124
Official site ↗Project hub · Open
East Riverfront Community Hub
Bedrock’s exhibit on the plan, with feedback stations and themed evenings. Groups can request a tour, and the front desk validates two hours at the Beaubien Place Garage (238 Beaubien).125
⏱ Wed–Fri 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Official site ↗Already gone · Closed
Free tours, food court, GM World
The building’s free tours are suspended, the podium food court is empty (Panera closed in October 2025, Burger King in November), and GM moved its vehicle showcase to Hudson’s Detroit in January 2026.1264216
Before you go · Open
Access and house rules
Anyone can come in for the restaurants, remaining tenants and the hotel. Visitors 17 and under need a parent or guardian 21 or older (or an organized group). Accessible entrances at the Jefferson lobby and the Wintergarden.127128129
Official site ↗
When’s the next People Mover at Renaissance Center station?
- 7:01 p.m.
- 7:04 p.m.
- 7:08 p.m.
Scheduled departures, Detroit time. The station is on Level 2 of Tower 200. The full People Mover guide →
08 / People
Who dreamed it up, and who’s reshaping it now?
Henry Ford IIdrove the project and unveiled it in 1971
Max Fishercredited by Henry Ford II with the original idea- John Portmanarchitect of the towers
Roman Gribbsmayor at the 1973 groundbreaking
Coleman Youngmayor who dedicated the RenCen in 1977
Balthazar KorabBudapest-born photographer who shot it in 1977
Dennis Archermayor when GM bought it in 1996
Mary BarraGM’s CEO when the company moved out
Dan GilbertBedrock founder behind the overhaul
Mike Dugganmayor who argued against a historic study
09 / Videos
Watch right here, one click
News, history and the plan itself. Videos play right here on the page.
The City of Detroit’s own recording of the April 2024 press conference where GM announces its move to Hudson’s Detroit and says it will work with Bedrock on a plan for the Renaissance Center. WXYZ’s November 2024 report on the day Bedrock and GM unveiled the plan, which would tear down two of the seven towers to open up the riverfront. On WDIV’s Flashpoint from November 9, 2025, incoming Bedrock CEO Jared Fleisher shows the first new renderings and pitches the riverfront as a Navy Pier-style destination. The rest of the episode moves on to other Detroit news. Bedrock CEO Jared Fleisher talks with FOX 2 in September 2026 about the plans, just as more construction details come out. WXYZ in August 2026: Bedrock and GM open a community hub where Detroiters can weigh in on the plans for the Renaissance Center and the 30 acres east of it. CBS Detroit, late September 2026: Bedrock says the project should wrap up in 2036, two years earlier than the documents the station obtained had projected. CTV Windsor’s late-August 2026 report on the two towers coming down next year, the changing skyline and the possible upsides of the demolition. WDIV on April 15, 2024: after 28 years at the Renaissance Center, GM moves its global headquarters to Hudson’s Detroit as the anchor tenant of Bedrock’s development. The Detroit Historical Society’s digitized 16 mm promo film from around 1976: construction shots, models of the complex, Henry Ford II speaking and Coleman A. Young visiting the site, all set to Deodato’s jazz-funk “Also Sprach Zarathustra”. From the WDIV archive: four minutes of the construction site in December 1973, back when the towers were still foundations and steel. All Things Architecture’s twelve-minute film on Henry Ford II’s vision and John Portman’s design: how the RenCen became the symbol of a Detroit rebirth, and why it ended up magnifying the city’s problems instead. General Motors’ own 40-second intro to the Renaissance Center from 2020, back when it was the company’s world headquarters. A visitor’s October 2024 walk through the Renaissance Center and the GM Wintergarden, filmed when demolition rumors were already going around. Flux City’s January 2026 walk through the nearly empty complex: halls, skywalks and riverfront corridors with barely a shop open, just before the redevelopment starts. A four-minute 4K drone video from 2023: a loop around the five main towers, finished with a daring fly-through. A time-lapse of the full People Mover loop, starting from the Renaissance Center station and going clockwise.
10 / Photos
Fifty years of the RenCen in pictures
The Renaissance Center and the downtown lights at night, seen from Windsor, November 2005 jdurchen · CC BY 2.0
Aerial view of downtown and the Renaissance Center, July 2008 Robert Thompson · CC BY-SA 4.0
Aerial view of downtown along the river around 2020, with the Renaissance Center in the middle (photo by Carol M. Highsmith) Carol M. Highsmith / Library of Congress · No known restrictions
A December morning on Jefferson Avenue in 2020: the Renaissance Center rising behind the older buildings Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0
Riverfront Towers and the Renaissance Center from the river, July 2025 Chris Woodrich · CC BY-SA 4.0
Picnickers on the Belle Isle shore in May 2023, with downtown across the water and the Renaissance Center on the left Joe Ross · CC BY-SA 2.0
Detroit’s full riverfront skyline from the south, December 2014 Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0
A panorama from the east stretch of the RiverWalk in April 2026: grassy riverbank, with downtown and the Renaissance Center beyond TheWxResearcher · CC0
The Renaissance Center from Walker Road in Windsor’s Walkerville neighborhood (2025) Chris Woodrich · CC BY-SA 4.0
The towers glowing at blue hour in March 2013, with blue light strips on the hotel cylinder and the office tower edges BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Great Canadian Flag in Windsor’s Dieppe Gardens, with the blue-lit Renaissance Center across the river (2022) Nheyob · CC BY-SA 4.0
A foggy night, the towers’ pink lights glowing in the mist (2018) Mbrickn · CC BY-SA 4.0
The GM headquarters’ blue lights and holiday string lights at the Jefferson Avenue entrance, November 2013 victorgrigas · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Wintergarden glowing yellow and the towers at dusk, from the RiverWalk (2014) terencechisholm · Public Domain Mark 1.0
The towers with their purple light strips at night from the street, October 2018, above the entrance lettered “General Motors” Mbrickn · CC BY-SA 4.0
The stacked galleries and concrete piers of the central atrium in 2024, with a display car below w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
Ribbed raw-concrete wall with an opening inside the Renaissance Center (2023) JakeSmallz · CC BY-SA 4.0
The towers from Jefferson Avenue in 2009, with the People Mover guideway in front paul (dex) bica from toronto, canada · Public domain
A glass-walled cylindrical elevator shaft among raw-concrete walls (2024) w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
One of Portman’s signature concrete columns with its cup-shaped crown and a round desk at its foot in the central atrium (2024) w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
The circulation ring at the entrance to Tower 100, December 2015 Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
A skylight above the lobby, a blue cylinder rising through it and a tower’s glass wall beyond (2024) w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
The office towers and the hotel cylinder rising above the Wintergarden’s glass vault (2011) Hjoranna · CC BY 3.0
A ramp leading to the Tower 100 entrance (2024) w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
The GM Wintergarden and the waterfront podium seen from across the Detroit River, July 2025 Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Palms and tables in the Wintergarden, with the river beyond the huge glass wall (2024) w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Wintergarden seen from a boat on the Detroit River in July 2025, with the stepped riverfront promenade in front Chris Woodrich · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Wintergarden’s river-facing glass wall, with the water and Windsor outside (2015) Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Looking up through the Wintergarden’s glass roof at the towers above (2015) Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
A restaurant under yellow umbrella-shaped lamps in the central atrium, 1984 piotr iłowiecki from POLAND · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Detroit Plaza Hotel sign and crowds on the escalators in July 1980, during the Republican National Convention; that was the name of today’s Marriott back then David Wipf · CC BY 2.0
A Marriott guest room at the Renaissance Center, with a neighboring tower’s glass cylinder outside the window (2008) Mike Russell · CC BY-SA 3.0
The view from an 11th-floor hotel room: the Wintergarden’s glass roof below, the freighter CSL Niagara passing on the river and Windsor beyond (2008) Mike Russell · CC BY-SA 3.0
From the Marriott’s 42nd floor: the edge of Tower 200 on the left, towers 500 and 600 in the middle, parking decks on the right (2018) Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Wintergarden’s glass vault and the towers from the riverside GM Plaza, May 2022 JJonahJackalope · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fountains on the GM Plaza promenade, with the Wintergarden and the towers behind (2011) Bnosnhoj · CC BY-SA 3.0
The RiverWalk path winding through William G. Milliken State Park, with the Renaissance Center and downtown behind (2018) Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Rivard Plaza carousel on the RiverWalk, with the Renaissance Center behind (2008) Mike Russell · CC BY-SA 3.0
The east stretch of the RiverWalk in May 2024: open green riverfront with the Renaissance Center behind TheWxResearcher · CC0
The view from a train pulling out of the Renaissance Center station, facing the podium lettered “General Motors” (2013) Jeff Dunn · CC BY 2.0
A yellow People Mover train in the Renaissance Center station, with the towers above (2025) 42-BRT · CC BY-SA 4.0
The line of cars at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, shot from the Renaissance Center’s 72nd floor DeeMusil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Giant Chevrolet lettering on the hotel cylinder with a white logo panel above it, May 25, 2026 Chris Woodrich · CC BY-SA 4.0
A yellow Corvette on a display platform in the atrium, 2024 w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
GM cars in the showroom below the circulation ring, December 2015 Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Looking up from the GM showroom floor: lit column tops and the hotel cylinder through the skylight (January 2008) Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan · CC BY-SA 2.0
A GMnext.com banner across the Wintergarden front, October 2008 Ed Schipul · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Ford Fireworks on June 23, 2025, from Windsor, with the Renaissance Center on the right Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Golden bursts over the river at the 2025 Ford Fireworks Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0
The U.S. Navy’s Great Lakes Brass Band performing outside the Renaissance Center on August 26, 2015 Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jon Rasmussen, USN · Public domain
Spectators at the 2009 Red Bull Air Race in Windsor: a race plane skims the water between the gates, with the Renaissance Center behind Cbyrne23 · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Tigers’ “D” on top of the hotel cylinder on June 26, 2011, when Sparky Anderson’s number was retired Dave Hogg · CC BY 2.0
The red Super Bowl XL media center banner under the Wintergarden’s glass roof, 2006 Mikerussell · CC BY-SA 3.0
Looking east from the Marriott’s 42nd floor in 2018: towers 500 and 600 with the east riverfront land beyond Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tower 300 seen from the river, right (east) of the hotel cylinder and the Wintergarden: the other tower slated for demolition (2014) Crisco 1492 · Public domain
Tower 400 seen from the river, left (west) of the hotel cylinder and the Wintergarden; the plan calls for tearing down this one and Tower 300 (2014) Crisco 1492 · Public domain
The whole complex from above in April 2002: the podium around the towers and the parking decks United States Geological Survey (USGS) · Public domain
Inside in 1977: concrete columns, spiraling galleries, a skylight and a burgundy seating area, photographed by Budapest-born Balthazar Korab Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions
Detroit from the water in December 1979, photographed by Budapest-born Balthazar Korab: the Renaissance Center towers rule the shore, before the two shorter east towers went up in 1981 Balthazar Korab / Library of Congress · No known restrictions
The Renaissance Center behind fall trees in October 1987, long before GM bought it in 1996 and made it its headquarters artistmac · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Renaissance Center towers in July 1980, during the Republican National Convention, with a building going up on the right David Wipf · CC BY 2.0
Detroit’s night skyline from Windsor in August 1996, with the Renaissance Center on the right Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
Marchers pass the Renaissance Center on May 9, 1983, protesting the light sentences given to Vincent Chin’s killers Associated Press · Public domain
11 / Sources
How do we know?
Every fact carries a source number. Official documents come first, then the press.
What do we watch, and how often?
The tracker runs on our own server and keeps every download and every page version. When a source locks us out you’ll see it here; we’ll read those from our US server later.
| Source | Status | Last checked | RenCen items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google News | working | 21 min ago | 92 |
| Google News | working | 14 min ago | 12 |
| BridgeDetroit | working | 14 min ago | 0 |
| Outlier Media | working | 14 min ago | 0 |
| WDET 101.9 FM | working | 14 min ago | 1 |
| Planet Detroit | working | 14 min ago | 0 |
| RAW Detroit | working | 14 min ago | 0 |
| Daily Detroit | working | 14 min ago | 1 |
| Model D | working | 14 min ago | 0 |
| FOX 2 Detroit | working | 14 min ago | 0 |
| WDIV Local 4 | working | 14 min ago | 0 |
| WXYZ Channel 7 | working | 13 min ago | 0 |
| CBS Detroit | working | 13 min ago | 0 |
| GM Authority | working | 13 min ago | 0 |
| City Bureau Documenters | working | 13 min ago | 1 |
| City of Detroit | working | 13 min ago | 0 |
| Detroit City Council (eSCRIBE) Official | working | 21 min ago | 0 |
| City of Detroit – Community Benefits Official | working | 21 min ago | 0 |
| DEGC / Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Official | working | 35 min ago | 2 |
| DEGC / Downtown Development Authority Official | working | 58 min ago | 0 |
| Documenters – Planning and Development (CBO) | working | 13 min ago | 0 |
| Documenters – Brownfield Authority | working | 35 min ago | 0 |
| Bedrock – East Riverfront Official | working | 58 min ago | 0 |
| GM Renaissance Center – dining directory Official | working | 133 min ago | 0 |
| GM Newsroom Official | locks us out | 326 min ago | 0 |
| Michigan Legislature Official | locks us out | 326 min ago | 0 |
| Michigan Strategic Fund (MEDC) Official | locks us out | 326 min ago | 0 |
| Crain’s Detroit Business | locks us out | 326 min ago | 0 |
| Michigan Chronicle | locks us out | 326 min ago | 0 |
- Renaissance Center and East Riverfront Projects (Community Benefits Ordinance) City of Detroit, Planning and Development Department
- Renaissance Center and Rivereast District: DBRA local public hearing notice, September 29, 2026 Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (DEGC)
- Act 381 Combined Transformational Brownfield Plan: The Renaissance Center and Rivereast District Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority / Bedrock Rivereast Developer LLC, September 18, 2026
- Detroit East Riverfront: project site, survey and community hub Bedrock
- DBRA-CAC special meeting notice (Sep 30, 2026, 5:00 pm) Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
- Riverfront Public Space & Placemaking Session - Sep 30, 2026 Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
- Community Events calendar data behind the Bedrock events widget (JSON) Bedrock via eventscalendar.co
- CBO Meeting #4 presentation: NAC working session, 'what we have heard so far' (Sep 22, 2026) City of Detroit PDD, September 22, 2026
- Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (plans, notices, agendas) DEGC
- General Motors names Hudson's Detroit as its new global headquarters GM Newsroom, April 15, 2024
- Bedrock and General Motors share vision for redevelopment of Renaissance Center and Detroit Riverfront Bedrock, November 24, 2024
- Plan for Renaissance Center would tear down 2 towers, add housing BridgeDetroit, November 25, 2024
- Detroit council nixes study on making the RenCen a historic district Bridge Michigan, March 5, 2025
- HDAB memo: Requesting Historic Designation Eligibility for the Renaissance Center (Jan 21, 2025) City Council Historic Designation Advisory Board, January 21, 2025
- DDA Board regular meeting minutes, Nov 12, 2025 (RenCen support, Exhibit 1 funding terms) Downtown Development Authority (DEGC), November 12, 2025
- General Motors' new home in Detroit GM Newsroom, January 12, 2026
- As GM moves out of the Renaissance Center, businesses inside prepare for the future FOX 2 Detroit, January 12, 2026
- Senate Bill 723 of 2025 (Public Act 36 of 2026) - bill history Michigan Legislature
- House Fiscal Agency legislative analysis, SB 723 as enrolled (complete to 7-21-26) Michigan House Fiscal Agency, July 21, 2026
- CBO Meeting #1 presentation (Aug 18, 2026) City of Detroit PDD / Bedrock / GM, August 18, 2026
- CBO Meeting #3 presentation: project program + DEGC economic & fiscal analysis (Sep 15, 2026) City of Detroit PDD / Bedrock / DEGC, September 15, 2026
- Bedrock, GM seek $548M in subsidies for $2.2B Renaissance Center plan BridgeDetroit (with Detroit Free Press), September 16, 2026
- Detroit to host 2027 NCAA Men's Final Four: Here's what to know ClickOnDetroit (WDIV), April 7, 2026
- RenCen's Detroit Marriott Would Temporarily Close After 2027 March Madness Tournament For Demolition Crews Deadline Detroit (citing Crain's Detroit Business), December 11, 2025
- GM, Bedrock Moving Forward With Renaissance Center Reno GM Authority, July 23, 2026
- $2.24 billion Renaissance Center redevelopment project ... (story corrected: completion 2036, not 2038) WXYZ Channel 7
- GMRENCEN at 40 (by the Detroit Historical Society) GMRENCEN / Detroit Historical Society, April 17, 2017
- Henry Ford II and Architect John Portman with Model of Detroit Renaissance Center, May 1972 (object 84.1.1969.22) The Henry Ford
- Encyclopedia of Detroit: Renaissance Center Detroit Historical Society
- Renaissance Center Wikipedia
- Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center CTBUH The Skyscraper Center
- Renaissance Center 500 Tower CTBUH The Skyscraper Center
- GM buys Detroit's Renaissance Center (AP report) The Journal Record, May 17, 1996
- The RenCen's history: A Ford brainchild that became GM's headquarters (Nick Manes) Crain's Detroit Business, April 15, 2024
- Renaissance Center (GM RenCen; RenCen) Historic Detroit (Dan Austin), November 29, 2024
- Renaissance Center station Wikipedia
- CBO Meeting #2 presentation incl. NAC election results (Sep 1, 2026) City of Detroit PDD / Bedrock / GM, September 1, 2026
- Friedman Real Estate buys two Renaissance Center towers Crain's Detroit Business, December 2023
- Residents challenge timeline, vision at first Renaissance Center benefits meeting BridgeDetroit, August 19, 2026
- Renaissance Center redevelopment plan seeks $473M in additional tax incentives for $2.24B project WXYZ Channel 7
- Renaissance Center looks to future. Should taxpayers help pay the bill? Bridge Michigan, January 22, 2025
- A look at what's happening inside the iconic Renaissance Center as GM moves HQ The Detroit News (republished by Colliers), January 4, 2026
- Detroit East Riverfront - Vision Bedrock
- Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center SkyscraperPage.com
- Bedrock tells Detroiters its RenCen plan is 'the only path forward' BridgeDetroit, September 2, 2026
- Preservation Detroit is against demolition of Detroit's Renaissance Center The Architect's Newspaper, March 3, 2025
- Call to Action (RenCen) Preservation Detroit
- Michigan is debating more developer subsidies. Did the first ones work? Mackinac Center for Public Policy (James M. Hohman), September 3, 2026
- AFP-MI Calls for Caution on Proposed Renaissance Center Subsidies Americans for Prosperity-Michigan, June 4, 2026
- Detroiters weigh in on redevelopment of Renaissance Center riverfront CBS Detroit, August 19, 2026
- Renaissance Center opens in downtown Detroit Max M. Fisher Archives
- Timeline Max M. Fisher Archives
- "$500 million Detroit riverfront plan is unveiled by Henry Ford" (Detroit News, 1971-11-24) Max M. Fisher Archives, November 24, 1971
- General Motors is moving out of Renaissance Center. Now what? (Rick Haglund) Michigan Advance, April 20, 2024
- What does Detroit's RenCen stand for? (Malachi Barrett) BridgeDetroit, April 24, 2024
- 9 Random Facts About the GMRENCEN GMRENCEN (owner's site), March 2, 2016
- 40 years ago: Detroit Renaissance Center opens ClickOnDetroit (WDIV), April 14, 2017
- Glitter of Renaissance Center tarnished by default UPI Archives, January 23, 1983
- DDP Centennial: The Renaissance Center Downtown Detroit Partnership, August 17, 2022
- Renaissance Center Complex CTBUH The Skyscraper Center
- A Dark Age for the Renaissance Center (Elizabeth Blasius) MAS Context, January 26, 2026
- Renaissance Center Brought No Renaissance (Michael D. LaFaive) Mackinac Center for Public Policy, March 5, 2007
- The Way It Was: The History of the Renaissance Center Hour Detroit
- [Detroit Renaissance Center, Phase 1, Detroit, Michigan] (Balthazar Korab, 1977) Library of Congress, 1977
- [Detroit Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan. View from water] (Balthazar Korab, December 1979) Library of Congress, December 1979
- [Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan. Exterior view of skyscrapers] (Balthazar Korab Studios, 2007) Library of Congress, 2007
- Balthazar Korab Wikipedia
- How the Bush Dynasty Almost Wasn't (Richard V. Allen; reprinted from NYT Magazine, 2000-07-30) Hoover Institution, October 30, 2000
- 1980 Republican National Convention Wikipedia
- Detroit tunes up for a grand 'ol' GOP party The Christian Science Monitor, May 14, 1980
- Renaissance Center sold to investor group UPI Archives, April 28, 1982
- Detroit Renaissance Foundation president Robert McCabe said Thursday... UPI Archives, May 13, 1982
- 1982 Detroit Grand Prix Wikipedia
- Swissotel The Stamford Wikipedia
- GM's Jack Smith: room with a view WardsAuto, December 1, 1996
- New entry plaza will be the end of Renaissance Center renovation Michigan Building & Construction Trades Council newspaper, April 2, 2004
- GM Opens Wintergarden at the Renaissance Center for a Sneak Preview (GM release) The Auto Channel, December 7, 2001
- Detroit's Iconic Renaissance Center Celebrates 40 Years A Healthier Michigan (BCBSM blog), April 13, 2017
- GM Wintergarden GMRENCEN (owner's site)
- Detroit: Super Bowl XL Host CBS News, January 27, 2006
- Chevy Volt, inside and out CNN Money, September 16, 2008
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Will Significantly Grow Its Presence in Downtown Detroit PR Newswire (BCBSM), July 29, 2010
- Joe Muer Seafood Returning To Detroit ClickOnDetroit (WDIV), September 26, 2011
- In Memoriam: John C. Portman GMRENCEN (owner's site), January 31, 2018
- General Motors Discussed Selling Renaissance Center As Part Of Restructuring Effort GM Authority, May 2019
- GM Is Leaving the Renaissance Center (Steven Cole Smith) Hagerty Media, April 16, 2024
- The Highlands to open atop Renaissance Center Nov. 15 under James Beard Award-winning chef The Detroit News, August 26, 2019
- GM Headquarters To Remain In Renaissance Center, Says Barra GM Authority, July 19, 2022
- Friedman bought 2 RenCen towers in December. It sold 1 later that day. Crain's Detroit Business, 2024
- General Motors Names Hudson's Detroit as Its New Global Headquarters Bedrock (press release), April 15, 2024
- General Motors names Hudson's Detroit as its new global headquarters GM Newsroom, April 15, 2024
- GM to move headquarters; Bedrock to help redevelop RenCen Fortune (AP), April 15, 2024
- GM says it will move headquarters from RenCen to Hudson's site in 2025 The Detroit News, April 15, 2024
- GM, Bedrock propose new vision for RenCen; call for demolition of 2 towers WDET 101.9 FM, November 25, 2024
- A special look inside General Motors' new global headquarters at Hudson's Detroit CBS Detroit, January 11, 2026
- As GM moves out of the Renaissance Center, businesses inside prepare for the future FOX 2 Detroit, January 12, 2026
- Hoffa's driver claims boss was buried at Renaissance ClickOnDetroit (WDIV), December 27, 2011
- Was Jimmy Hoffa Buried In The Foundation Of The Ren Cen? GM Authority, December 29, 2011
- RoboCop (1987) filming locations The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations
- RoboCop Wikipedia
- Tallest hotel in Western hemisphere, a Marriott, tops off in NYC Skift, October 9, 2012
- Courtyard & Residence Inn Manhattan/Central Park CTBUH The Skyscraper Center
- Fontainebleau Las Vegas CTBUH The Skyscraper Center
- GM Renaissance Center Clio
- A Movie Buff's Guide to Detroit Film Locations CBS Detroit, August 26, 2014
- Coach Insignia, restaurant atop the Ren Cen is closing FOX 2 Detroit, January 31, 2017
- Action Jackson (1988) Movie Filming Locations The 80s Movies Rewind
- Grosse Pointe Blank filming locations The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations
- Out of Sight (1998) The Motor City Flicks Project, September 29, 2013
- Real Steel filming locations The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations
- Need for Speed (2014) - Filming & production IMDb
- Dr. EV-il Takes Over GM In New Super Bowl Ad: Video GM Authority, February 2022
- GM REN CEN - Stay GM Renaissance Center
- Highlands Detroit Highlands Detroit
- GM REN CEN - Dine directory GM Renaissance Center
- Highlands Detroit Restaurant on Floors 71 and 72 of RenCen Will Close in May 2027 Deadline Detroit, February 25, 2026
- Joe Muer Seafood (Detroit) Joe Muer Seafood
- Andiamo Detroit Riverfront Andiamo / Joe Vicari Restaurant Group
- GM Wintergarden GM Renaissance Center
- Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (riverfront hours) Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
- RC: Renaissance Center station Detroit People Mover (Detroit Transportation Corporation)
- Detroit People Mover schedule and service updates Detroit People Mover
- Detroit Windsor Tunnel Detroit Windsor Tunnel
- LINQ Tunnel Bus Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island
- Detroit East Riverfront - Visit Us (hub address, hours, parking validation) Bedrock
- GM REN CEN home (tours notice, contact) GM Renaissance Center (building management site)
- Sign of the times: GM brand names removed from Renaissance Center The Detroit News (syndicated via Tribune/Daily Gazette), April 6, 2026
- GM REN CEN - Safety / Rules of Conduct GM Renaissance Center
- GM REN CEN - Directions & Maps / Accessibility GM Renaissance Center
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