Proposed RenCen Detroit makeover includes some demolition
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A rendering of Bedrock and GM's vision with the Renaissance Center and Detroit riverfront. Rendering courtesy of Bedrock
The iconic but outdated Renaissance Center could someday be completely redeveloped with two of its five towers demolished, if a new, shared vision from Dan Gilbert's Bedrock and the property's owner, automaker GM, becomes reality.
The big picture: The companies want to partner on a large-scale project that could remake part of the city's riverfront, connecting it to downtown via the RenCen in a way that the island-like office and hotel structure currently fails to do.
- They released a broad overview of their proposal yesterday.
Reality check: The project would require approval for public financing to move forward.
Catch up quick: After announcing in April that GM would leave its headquarters in the RenCen for a new home in Bedrock's state-of-the-art Hudson's building, the pair promised they would collaborate on a plan for remaking the old campus with the city, Wayne County, and a team of planners and engineers.
- Demolition was always a possibility.
The intrigue: Public and private stakeholders — including Mayor Mike Duggan — are positioning the potential deal as a hopeful alternative to the languishing inactivity of other redevelopment sites that sat unused in the past, like Michigan Central or the Packard Plant.
Between the lines: Under the proposal, GM and Bedrock would create a "waterfront destination" using the RenCen and 27 acres of riverfront property that would become an "entertainment district" with restaurants, residential and market space, according to a news release.
- They would tear down the two office towers closest to the river, leaving the tallest and two other GM Renaissance Center towers intact.
One of those towers would become residential, with 300-400 units, according to Crain's, which broke the news.
- As part of the larger $1.6 billion plan, Bedrock and GM would shrink the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center hotel and reserve the highest levels of the RenCen for high-end residential units, per Crain's.
- Spokespeople for both companies did not respond to Axios' request for additional details.
What we're watching: Though the complete plan was not made public, the press release promised details would be shared with local and state leaders in the "coming weeks."