Renaissance Center
| Renaissance Center | |
|---|---|
GM Renaissance Center in May 2022 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Hotel Commercial offices Retail |
| Architectural style | Modern Brutalist |
| Location | 100 Renaissance Center Detroit, Michigan 48243 United States |
| Coordinates | 42°19′44″N 83°02′23″W / 42.3289°N 83.0397°W |
| Construction started | 1973 |
| Completed | 1977 1981 (towers 500–600) |
| Renovated | 2004 |
| Owner | General Motors |
| Management | CBRE Group |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 750 ft (230 m) |
| Roof | 727 ft (222 m) |
| Top floor | 697 ft (212 m) |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 188 ft (57 m) (central tower) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 73 floors x 1 39 floors x 4 21 floors x 2 |
| Floor area | 5,552,000 sq ft (515,800 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John Portman & Associates |
| Structural engineer | Morris E. Harrison & Associates |
| Main contractor | Tishman Construction |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect(s) | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Gensler SmithGroup Ghafari Associates |
| Main contractor | Turner Construction |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access | Renaissance Center DDOT 3, 9 SMART FAST Michigan, Woodward SMART 805, 851 Transit Windsor Tunnel Bus |
| Website | |
| gmrencen | |
| References | |
| Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center | |
|---|---|
| Hotel chain | Marriott International |
| General information | |
| Location | United States |
| Address | 400 Renaissance Center Drive Detroit, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°19′44″N 83°02′23″W / 42.3289°N 83.0397°W |
| Opening | 1977 |
| Owner | General Motors |
| Management | Marriott Hotels & Resorts |
| Height | 727 ft (222 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 73 |
| Floor area | Meeting space: 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 1,246 |
| Number of suites | 52 |
| Parking | Valet and self |
| Website | |
| www.marriott.com/dtwdt | |
The Renaissance Center, commonly known as the RenCen, is a complex of seven connected skyscrapers in downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the Detroit International Riverfront, the RenCen is owned and used by General Motors as its world headquarters. The complex includes a 73-story Marriott hotel at its center, surrounded by four 39-story office towers, connected by a large square podium containing public spaces, a conference center, retail stores, restaurants, and a company showroom.
Developed as an urban renewal project in the 1970s, the Renaissance Center was envisioned as a "city-within-a-city," and was meant to anchor a wider redevelopment of the then-declining city of Detroit. The project was developed and funded by a consortium led by the Ford Motor Company, and John Portman served as its principal architect. The five original towers were built in the Modern architectural style and completed in 1977, with two matching towers added later in 1981.
General Motors purchased the Renaissance Center in 1996, and moved its global headquarters to the complex. An extensive renovation, completed in 2004, altered its Brutalist interior, improved access to the center from downtown, and added a glass retail atrium and public plaza on the riverfront.
A distinctive feature of Detroit's skyline, the RenCen is widely considered a landmark and cultural icon of the city. With 5,552,000 square feet (515,800 m2) of usable space, it is one of the world's largest commercial complexes, and the central tower has been the tallest building in Michigan since its completion in 1977. At its completion, the Renaissance Center was the largest private development in the history of the United States, and the central tower was the world's tallest hotel.
In recent years, the massive center has struggled with declining occupancy, particularly stemming from increased remote work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. General Motors has announced plans to move its headquarters away from the Renaissance Center in 2025, leaving the future of the complex uncertain. Redevelopment of the RenCen is under consideration, and could include full or partial demolition.