Detroit's renaissance: after years of urban decay, downtown Detroit is having a rebirth thanks in part to the newly renovated GM Renaissance Center

Journal of Property Management, Nov-Dec, 2005 by Diana Mirel

Reviving a burnt-out city takes more than clever wordplay. Detroit's aptly named Renaissance Center was built in 1977 to breathe life into the once-thriving downtown after the 1967 race riots. Now, 28 years later, the renowned cylinder-shaped center is finally living up to its name and its lofty goals.

In 1996, when General Motors purchased the Renaissance Center and moved its global headquarters there, the company announced a $500-million renovation focused on making the center's original mission of bringing businesses back downtown a reality. The company hired Hines as both the development manager and the property manager of the 5.5-million-square-foot GM Renaissance Center. The six-year project was completed in 2004 and had a profound impact on the city, said Chuck Watters, Vice President of Hines.

"The GM Renaissance Center has become a symbol of Detroit and the area," he said.

The facility features a 74-story, 1,300-room Marriott Hotel, managed by Marriott. Hines manages the four 39-story office towers, totaling 2.3 million square feet and surrounding the hotel. Each tower rests on a five-story podium structure containing 165,000 square feet of retail space, also managed by Hines.

New features include an atrium; a suspended glass circulation walkway linking the office towers; a 40,000-square-foot exhibition space; and the 30,000-square-foot General Motors University.

One major improvement focused on the center's entrance. The original layout had two four-story berms housing the center's heating and cooling systems in front of the center. From the building's inception, the berms were criticized for seemingly fortressing off the center from the rest of the city. During the renovation, a new cooling plant was built, and heat was supplied by Detroit Edison Steam. "This enabled us to take down the berms and create a gracious entrance that embraced the city," Watters said.

The renovation also centered on revealing the building's view of the Detroit River, formerly obscured by masonry construction and surface parking. A three-mile waterfront park and plaza and a five-story glass-enclosed atrium were built, opening the city's previously-ignored riverfront to the public and the center's tenants.

"The glass enclosed atrium, which we call the Winter Garden, has become a gathering place for events for both General Motors and outside entities, like companies and tenants," Watters said.

While opening up the center was a top development priority, Hines' property management goals focused on balancing the security needs of General Motors with its 35 other independent tenants.

"There are four towers within the GM Renaissance Center and we set up separate reception areas at each of the towers," Watters said. "If General Motors fully occupies one tower, then they could have their own security protocol. Other tenants have identification cards for everyone coming in and out. We set it up in a way that visitors can go to the tower [their offices are located in] rather than having to go through one central gathering place in order to be issued the appropriate passes."

Managing a multi-use property takes plenty of balancing. "We have to preserve an environment that is welcoming and friendly with tenants, but also enable large groups to come in and host events in the Winter Garden and other public spaces throughout the center," Watters said.

While this balancing act can be complicated, Watters said opening up the GM Renaissance Center to the public has helped the center become a catalyst for growth and rebirth in Detroit.

He said: "In general, there has been a turnaround in the perception of downtown Detroit, with the central business district as a location to do business."

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