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International Riverfront | |
General information | |
Location | Detroit, Michigan United States |
Height | |
Antenna spire | 758 ft (230.1 m) |
Roof | 727 ft (221.5 m) |
Top floor | 697 ft (212.3 m) |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 73 story tower with four 39 story towers and two 21 story towers |
Floor area | 5,552,000 sq ft (515,800 m) complex |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | John Portman, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Gensler, SmithGroup, Ghafari Associates |
The Renaissance Center (also known as the GM Renaissance Center and nicknamed the RenCen) is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters. The central tower, called the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, is the tallest all-hotel skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, and features the largest rooftop restaurant, Coach Insignia. It has been the tallest building in Michigan since 1977.
John Portman was the principal architect for the original design. The first phase constructed a five-building rosette, with a 73-story hotel surrounded by four 39-story office towers, all surrounded by a square-shaped, all-retail podium. This first phase officially opened in March 1977. Portman's design renewed attention to city architecture, constructing the world's tallest hotel at the time. Two additional 21-story office towers opened in 1981. This type of complex has been termed a city within a city.
In 2004, General Motors completed a $500 million renovation of its world headquarters in the Renaissance Center, which it had purchased in 1996. The renovation included the addition of the five-story Wintergarden, which provides access to the International Riverfront. Architects for the renovation included Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Gensler, SmithGroup, and Ghafari Associates. Work continued in and around the complex until 2005. The Renaissance Center totals 5,552,000 square feet (515,800 m) making it one of the world's largest office complexes.
History
Conceived by Henry Ford II and financed primarily by the Ford Motor Company, the Renaissance Center became the world's largest private development with an anticipated 1971 cost of $500 million. The project was intended to revitalize the economy of Detroit. In its first year of operation it generatated over $1 billion in economic growth for the downtown.
In 1970, Ford Motor Company Chairman Henry Ford II teamed up with other business leaders to form Detroit Renaissance, a private non-profit development organization, which he headed in order to stimulate building activity in the city. The group announced the first phase of construction in 1971. In addition, Detroit Renaissance contributed to a variety of other projects within the downtown area in the ensuing decades. Henry Ford II sold the concept of the RenCen to the City and community leaders. Detroit mayor Roman Gribbs touted the project as a complete rebuilding from bridge to bridge, referring to the area between the Ambassador Bridge that connected Detroit to Windsor, Ontario and the MacArthur Bridge, which connects the city with Belle Isle Park.
The city within a city arose. The first tower of the Renaissance Center opened on July 1, 1976. Principal architect John Portman was also the architect for the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel and the Peachtree Center in Atlanta, Georgia; the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, California; and the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, California. For phase I, the facade of the first five towers was covered with 2,000,000 sq ft (186,000 m) of glass, and used about 400,000 cubic yards (310,000 m) of concrete. This did not include the additional glass used for the atriums.
Phase I of the Renaissance Center cost $337 million to construct, employing 7,000 workers. In 1977, the central hotel tower of the Renaissance Center, which opened as a Westin Hotel, became the world's tallest all-hotel skyscraper, surpassing its architectural twin, the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta. What is today known as the Swissôtel The Stamford (1986) in Singapore had surpassed it. Since 1986, the Renaissance Center's central tower has remained the tallest all-hotel skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.
On April 15, 1977, Henry Ford II and Detroit mayor Coleman Young unveiled a plaque commemorating the private investors whose funds made the project possible and, later that evening, 650 business and society leaders attended a benefit celebrating the Renaissance Center's formal dedication. The money raised from the $300-per-couple tickets went to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. When it opened, the cylindrical central tower was originally the flagship of the Westin Hotels. The top three floors of the hotel hosted an upscale restaurant, The Summit, that rotated to allow a 360 degree view.
In 1980, Detroit hosted the Republican National Convention which nominated Ronald Reagan who had stayed at the Renaissance Center while in Detroit.
Metro Detroit expanded upon the city within a city concept with the nearby 2,200,000 sq ft (200,000 m) Southfield Town Center office complex with its five inter-connected golden skyscrapers constructed from 1975 to 1989. In the ensuing years, the Renaissance Center would face competition from the growing suburban office market.
In 1987, the elevated monorail Detroit People Mover, after many years of construction, began operation with a stop at the Renaissance Center. At first, the Ford Motor Company had occupied many offices in the building. In 1996, General Motors purchased the complex and moved its world headquarters to the Renaissance Center downtown from what is now the historic Cadillac Place state office complex in the New Center district, northwest of downtown.
By 2004, GM completed an extensive $500 million renovation of the Renaissance Center. This included a $100 million makeover for the hotel. Among GM's first actions was to remove the concrete berms facing Jefferson Avenue. The renovation includes a lighted glass walkway which encircles the interior mezzanine for ease of navigation, while the addition of the Wintergarden provides riverfront access and a view of Canada. A covered skyway over Jefferson Avenue connects to the Millender Center, Courtyard by Marriott - Downtown Detroit, and Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.
The Renaissance Center is owned by General Motors. The hotel in the central tower is now occupied by the Marriott hotel chain and is called the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. The 1,298 room hotel is one of the largest operated by Marriott. The rooftop restaurant (which no longer rotates) received a $10 million renovation and is occupied by the Matt Prentice Restaurant Groups Coach Insignia. It serves Coach wines, a product of the Fisher family whose legacy includes Fisher Body, a name which is part of GM history.
The Renaissance Center's renovation provides for the prospect of continued development and restorations throughout the city. Architectural critics have touted the city's architecture as among America's finest.
Statistics
Building | Image | Year | Stories | Height feet / m |
Area sq feet / m² |
Principal tenant(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. (Central hotel tower) |
1977 2004 |
73 | 727 / 221.5 | 1,812,000 / 168,300 estimate |
Marriott hotel | |
Southwest - Tower 100 | 1977 2004 |
39 | 522 / 159 | 550,000 / 51,100 | General Motors United States Post Office | |
Northwest - Tower 200 | 1977 2004 |
39 | 522 / 159 | 550,000 / 51,100 | GMAC Financial Services. | |
Northeast - Tower 300 | File:MikerussellRENCENWintergarden.JPG | 1977 2004 |
39 | 522 / 159 | 550,000 / 51,100 | General Motors. |
Southeast - Tower 400 | 1977 2004 |
39 | 522 / 159 | 550,000 / 51,100 | General Motors, OnStar, Consulate-General of Japan. | |
Podium structures beneath Towers 100-400 |
1977 2004 |
5 | 103 / 31.39 | 660,000 / 61,300 | GM World, exhibit space & retail Riverfront 4 movie theatres. | |
Tower 500 | 1981 2004 |
21 | 339 / 103 | 320,000 / 29,700 | Electronic Data Systems. Includes 14,845 sq ft (1,380 m) of retail space. | |
Tower 600 | 1981 2004 |
21 | 339 / 103 | 340,000 / 31,600 | Deloitte, Consulate-General of Canada. Includes 35,730 sq ft (3,320 m) of retail space. | |
Wintergarden & shops | 2001 | 5 | 103 / 31.39 | 150,000 / 14,000 | Retail space. | |
Wintergarden atrium | 2001 | 5 | 103 / 31.39 | 40,000 / 3,700 | Main entry and exhibit space. | |
Mezzanine | 1977 2004 |
NA | NA | 30,000 / 2,800 | GM University. | |
Renaissance Center total | 1977 2004 |
NA | 727 / 221.5 | 5,552,000 / 515,800 | Owner of complex: General Motors. Property management firm: Hines. |
Architecture
The centerpiece is the 1,298-room luxury hotel, 73-story 727 foot (221.5 m). Its height is measured from its main Wintergarden entrance on Atwater Street which faces the International Riverfront where the complex measures 14 feet (4.27m) taller. Entirely owned by General Motors, the complex has 5,552,000 sq ft (515,800 m) of space. The main Renaissance Center complex rises from a 14-acre site (56,700 m²).
Famous for its cylindrical design, the central hotel tower's diameter is 188 feet (57 m). A lighted glass walkway radiates the mezzanine level and encircles the base of cylindrical hotel tower for ease of navigation. This ringed glass walkway is about 12 feet (3.7 m) wide and has a circumference of approximately 660 ft (201 m) or about one-eighth of a mile (.2 km) around. The ringed walkway's diameter is approximately 210 feet (64 m). It links to several other walkways in the complex. The five-story Wintergarden atrium leads into the central area which has an eight-story atrium lobby with artificial ponds, rounded concrete balconies, and terraces. Floors 71 through 73 include the Coach Insignia, an upscale restaurant with a lounge area/observation floor. The hotel has no floor labeled 7, 8, or 13. The hotel features a major conference center with 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m) of meeting space including a Renaissance Ballroom for up to 2,200 guests with 26,000 sq ft (2,400 m) for events, one of the largest in the United States.
John Portman designed the five-building rosette with interior spaces. In 1977, its central tower opened as the tallest hotel in the world. It remains the tallest all hotel skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The smaller cylinders on sides of all the towers house the elevators. The four surrounding 39-story office towers (100-400) each reach 522 feet (159 m) and have a total of 2,200,000 sq ft (204,400 m) of space. Each 39 story tower has a base five-story podium structure with 165,000 sq ft (15,300 m) for retail space for a total of 660,000 sq ft (61,000 m). A portion of the central atrium area houses GM World, a show case for GM vehicles. Two 21-story towers (500-600), designed by Portman and constructed in 1981, reach 339 feet (103 m). GM gained control of Towers 500 and 600 in 2001. Tower 500 has 307,300 sq ft (28,550 m) of office space and an additional 14,485 sq ft (1,350 m) of retail space. Tower 600 has 304,200 sq ft (28,260 m) of office space and an additional 35,730 sq ft (3,320 m) of retail space.
Towers 100 and 200 are along Jefferson Avenue. Towers 300 and 400 are along the main Wintergarden/Atwater Street entrance facing the Riverfront. Tower 200 contains the Riverfront 4, a four-screen, first-run movie theater, on the third floor of the tower. The Renaissance Club, a private club founded by Henry Ford II in 1987, is located on the 36th floor of the tower. The Renaissance Conference Center is located on the second floor of tower 300.
In December 2001, the General Motors Wintergarden retail atrium was unveiled. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill, it rises 103 feet (31.39m) tall at its highest point opening direct access to the International Riverfront. In addition, the five-story Wintergarden atrium area, added in 2001, has 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m) devoted to retail with 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m) of contiguous main floor exhibit space which was used by the media during Super Bowl XL.
Redevelopment
The redevelopment project included the work of many different architects including Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of Chicago, SmithGroup of Detroit, Gensler Detroit office, and Ghafari Associates of Dearborn who did the renovation of the office towers. The majority of the construction operations were led by Turner Construction Company. The cost of the renovation does not include the cost for reconfiguring the streets around the Renaissance Center or the cost of the park along the International Riverfront.
The $500 million renovation of the Renaissance Center completed in 2003 has helped improve Detroit's economy. Together, GM's renovation of the Renaissance Center and the Detroit Riverwalk exceeded $1 billion; the project constituted a substantial investment in downtown. More than 10,000 people (of which 6,000 are GM employees) work in the complex. Nearly 2,000 state workers now occupy GM's former office building, the restored Cadillac Place, in the historic New Center district.
The Wintergarden added to the Renaissance Center faces the Riverfront and provides panoramic views of the Windsor skyline. The complex connects offices, the hotel, retail specialty shops, restaurants, a jazz club, and a movie theater. A pedestrian-friendly glass entryway has replaced the former concrete berms along Jefferson Avenue. The redevelopment provides the GM World display of vehicles, a restored hotel, a renovated rooftop restaurant, and the addition of GM's corporate logo to crown the top of the building. Construction of the lighted glass walkway facilitates ease of navigation encircling the interior mezzanine. Hines completed redevelopment of Towers 500 and 600 for GM in 2004.
The Riverfront Promenade was dedicated on December 17, 2004, and helped to usher in a return to recreational uses along Detroit's International Riverfront. GM played a key role in the transformation of the east riverfront with a donation of $135 million to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy for the development of a world class riverfront promenade planned at $559 million, which included $50 million from the Kresge foundation. With the addition of several prominent restaurants and retailers to the complex – such as JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, Seldom Blues, and a first-run movie theatre – the RenCen has started to redefine Detroit once again for a new generation. In 2009, the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority opened its new state of the art cruise ship dock and passenger terminal on Hart Plaza, adjacent to the Renaissance Center. Port authority bonds financed another 1,500 space parking garage adjacent to the Renaissance Center. The Omni Hotel at Riverplace faces the Riverfront as part of a restored historic area. Planned projects complementing the Renaissance Center continue along the International Riverfont which include development of luxury condominiums, retail, and entertainment usage.
Location
The Renaissance Center, east of Woodward Avenue and the city's central financial district, is set apart from the rest of Detroit's skyscrapers. From the top of the Renaissance Center's Coach Insignia restaurant, patrons peer down upon the neogothic spires of the Comerica Tower and city's Art Deco skyscrapers and stadiums. The view from the top extends for 30 miles (48 km) in all directions. A pedestrian walkway over Jefferson Avenue connects the complex to the Millender Center which connects to the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. Hart Plaza, Cobo Hall (home to the North American International Auto Show) and Joe Louis Arena (Detroit Red Wings) are several blocks to the west. Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers) and Ford Field (Detroit Lions) are several streets northward. The American side of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel emerges directly besides the Renaissance Center. Renaissance Center is a station on the Detroit People Mover. The Renaissance Center's modernist architecture balances the city's panoramic waterfront skyline, a frequent feature in photography taken from the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario.
In popular culture
In the 1990 film adaptation of the best-selling novel, Presumed Innocent, by Scott Turow, which tells the story of a prosecutor charged with the murder of his female colleague and mistress, there is a skyline view of the city of Detroit very early in the film which clearly shows the Renaissance Center, filmed from across the river in Windsor, Ontario.
In the 1998 Steven Soderbergh film adaptation of Out of Sight, the main characters meet in the revolving restaurant atop the Renaissance Center. The scene was filmed on location.
In 2004, the Renaissance Center was featured in the Kevin Costner and Joan Allen film The Upside of Anger. Costner's character plays a DJ for WRIF 101 FM, a real Detroit FM rock station, whose studio (in the film) is housed in the Renaissance Center. The Renaissance Center is also featured in the films Grosse Pointe Blank and Action Jackson.
For the 2005 Major League Baseball all-star game, the center tower of the Renaissance Center was wrapped with an image of a large baseball smashing into the tower, with "4612 Ft." written below it to indicate the distance from home plate at Comerica Park. For Super Bowl XL held in Detroit on February 5, 2006, a large National Football League logo was wrapped around the main tower just beneath the GM logo. The Renaissance Center hosted the major media for Super Bowl XL. GM offered the Wintergarden a venue for the annual Fash Bash, a fashion event and fundraiser coordinated by the Detroit Institute of Arts.
In Kid Rock's music video for Roll On featured the Renaissance Center along with several other well-known structures in Detroit. The History Channel's Life After People: The Series "Roads to Nowhere" episode featured the Renaissance Center. Renaissance Center replicas have become souvenir items along with other Detroit skyscrapers.
Notable Tenants
Level A Food Court
- Arby's Unit #7226
- Burger King #13332 (A-1042, opened August 1984)
- McDonald's
- Subway (A203, Tower 200)
Tower 100
- Level 1
- Bank of America
- Chase
- Comerica Bank
- Jos. A. Bank Clothiers
- Level 2
- Au Bon Pain
- United States Postal Service Renaissance Center Post Office
Tower 200
- Level 1
- Gateway Newsstands
- Level 2
- CVS/pharmacy Store #7385
- Ren Cen 4 Theatre
- Level 3
- Coach Insignia (Also in Tower 300)
Tower 300
- Level 1
- Cherilynn's Gold Crown Hallmark
- GMAC Insurance
- GM University - Level 2
- Renaissance Conference Center
- Level 3
- Coach Insignia (Also in Tower 200)
Tower 400
- Seldom Blues Jazz & Supper Club
- The Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit is located on the 16th Floor.
- Dykema Gossett World Headquarters
- Pure Detroit/The GM Collection Store
Tower 500
- Electronic Data Systems Administrative Office
Tower 600
- The Consulate-General of Canada in Detroit is located in Suite 1100.
Hotel
GM Wintergarden
- Andiamo Detroit Riverfront
See also
- Architecture of metropolitan Detroit
- List of tallest buildings in Detroit
- List of tallest buildings in Michigan
- List of tallest buildings by U.S. state
- List of tallest buildings in the United States
- List of largest buildings in the world
References
Notes
- ^ GM Renaissance Center - Project Facts. Skidmore Ownings & Merrill. Retrieved on August 21, 2009.
- ^ Official World's 100 Tallest High Rise Buildings (Hotel Use). Emporis.com. Retrieved on May 30, 2008.
- ^ Meyer, Katherine Mattingly and Martin C.P. McElroy with Introduction by W. Hawkins Ferry, Hon A.I.A. (1980). Detroit Architecture A.I.A. Guide Revised Edition. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1651-4.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Sharoff, Robert (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3270-6.
- ^ Mercer, Tenisha (October 19, 2005).GM's RenCen renovation attracts new business back. Detroit News.Retrieved on July 24, 2007.
- AIA Detroit Urban Priorities Committee, (January 10, 2006).Top 10 Detroit Interiors Model D Media.Retrieved on November 23, 2007.
- ^ GM Renaissance Center.Hines. Retrieved on July 7, 2008.
- ^ Detroit News Staff (September 29, 2001). How the Renaissance Center changed the landscape of Detroit Michigan History, The Detroit News. Retrieved on November 23, 2007.
- ^ Hill, Eric J. and John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3.
- "Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center". Emporis.com. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
- Poremba, David Lee (2001). Detroit in Its World Setting (timeline). Wayne State University. ISBN 0-8143-2870-9.
- Gavrilovich, Peter and Bill McGraw (2006). The Detroit Almanac, 2nd edition. Detroit Free Press. ISBN 9780937247488.
- ^ New Center Council. Retrieved on May 16, 2009.
- Coach Insignia. Matt Prentice Restaurant Group. Retrieved on May 16, 2009.
- ^ "Location." Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit. Retrieved on February 1, 2009.
- ^ Tower 500.Hines. Retrieved on August 22, 2009.
- ^ "Office Location." Consulate-General of Canada in Detroit. Retrieved on February 1, 2009.
- ^ Tower 600.Hines. Retrieved on August 22, 2009.
- ^ Historical Perspective. GM Renaissance Center. Retrieved on July 7, 2008.
- Detroit News Editorial (December 13, 2002). At Last, Sensible Dream for Detroit's Riverfront. Detroit News.
- Detroit Wayne County Port Authority Breaks Ground on $11.25 Million Public Dock and Terminal. (June 21, 2004). PRNewswire. Retrieved on July 24, 2008.
- The world is coming, see the change. City of Detroit Partnership. Retrieved on May 16, 2009.
- Out of Sight Filming Locations IMDB
- Hodges, Michael H. (September 8, 2003).Fox Theater's rebirth ushered in city's renewal. Michigan History, The Detroit News. Retrieved on August 16, 2008.
- InFocusTech skyscrapers. Retrieved on July 16, 2009.
- "Arby's." Renaissance Center. Retrieved on May 10, 2009.
- "Unit #7226." Arby's. Retrieved on May 13, 2009.
- "Burger King." Renaissance Center. Retrieved on May 13, 2009.
- "BK13332." Excel Services, Inc. (Franchisee for Burger King) Retrieved on May 13, 2009.
- "McDonald's." Renaissance Center. Retrieved on May 10, 2009.
- "Subway." Renaissance Center. Retrieved on May 10, 2009.
- "200 Renaissance Ctr A203, Detroit." Subway. Retrieved on May 13, 2009.
Bibliography
- Fisher, Dale (2003). Building Michigan: A Tribute to Michigan's Construction Industry. Grass Lake, MI: Eyry of the Eagle Publishing. ISBN 1891143247.
- Gavrilovich, Peter and Bill McGraw (2006). The Detroit Almanac, 2nd edition. Detroit Free Press. ISBN 9780937247488.
- Hill, Eric J. and John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3.
- Meyer, Katherine Mattingly and Martin C.P. McElroy with Introduction by W. Hawkins Ferry, Hon A.I.A. (1980). Detroit Architecture A.I.A. Guide Revised Edition. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1651-4.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Poremba, David Lee (2003). Detroit: A Motor City History. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-2435-2.
- Poremba, David Lee (2001). Detroit in Its World Setting (timeline). Wayne State University. ISBN 0-8143-2870-9.
- Portman, John and Jonathan Barnett (1976). The Architect as Developer. McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-0705-0536-5.
- Sharoff, Robert (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3270-6.
- Woodford, Arthur M. (2001). This is Detroit 1701-2001. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-2914-4.
External links
Preceded byPenobscot Building | Tallest Building in Michigan 1977-present |
Succeeded byincumbent |
City of Detroit | ||
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Shopping malls and districts in metropolitan Detroit | ||
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Enclosed shopping malls | ||
Open-air centers | ||
Street-side shopping districts |
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Strip and power centers | ||
Defunct |
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Cancelled | ||
See also: Tourism in metropolitan Detroit |
42°19′44.38″N 83°2′22.95″W / 42.3289944°N 83.0397083°W / 42.3289944; -83.0397083
Categories:- Landmarks in Michigan
- Culture of Detroit, Michigan
- Skyscrapers in Detroit, Michigan
- Marriott International
- 1977 architecture
- Economy of Detroit, Michigan
- Skyscrapers between 100 and 149 meters
- Skyscrapers between 150 and 199 meters
- Skyscrapers between 200 and 249 meters
- Hotels in Detroit, Michigan
- Office buildings in Detroit, Michigan
- Headquarters in the United States
- General Motors