Renaissance Center
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Renaissance Center | |
 |
|
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Detroit, USA |
| Status | Complete |
| Constructed | 1977 2003 |
| Use | office/hotel/retail |
| Height | |
| Antenna/Spire | 230.1 m (758 ft) |
| Roof | 221.5 (727 feet) |
| Top floor | 212.3 m (697 ft) (highest occupied floor) |
| Technical Details | |
| Floor count | 73 story tower with four 39 story towers and two 21 story towers |
| Floor area | 5.5 million ft² complex |
| Companies | |
| Architect | John Portman/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Gensler, SmithGroup |
The Renaissance Center, nicknamed the RenCen, is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in downtown Detroit, Michigan on the Detroit International Riverfront. The central tower is the tallest all-hotel skyscaper in the Western Hemisphere with the largest rooftop restaurant, called Coach Insignia. Today, it is the world headquarters for the General Motors Corporation.
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. This first phase officially opened in March 1977. Portman's design revolutionized city architecture constructing the world's tallest skyscaper hotel at the time. Two additional 21-story office towers opened in 1981. The complex had been termed a "city within a city."
In 2003, General Motors completed a $500 million renovation of the Renaissance Center for its world headquarters which it had purchased for $73 million in 1996. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Gensler, and the Smith Group were among the architects for the renovation. The renovation included a new Winter Garden which opened access to the Detroit International Riverfont and corrected what many saw as an original design flaw. Work continued in and around the complex until 2005. The Renaissance Center totals 5.5 million square feet, making it one of the world's largest office complexes. Cost estimates to build the Renaissance Center today could exceed $5 billion. In 2006, a cruise-ship dock was added to Hart Plaza, adjacent to the Renaissance Center.
Contents |
[edit] 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. In part, civic leaders intended this ambitious urban renewal project to quell the white flight which followed social unrest from the 12th Street riot in 1967. The project was intended to revitalize the economy of Detroit. In 1970, Ford Motor Company Chairman Henry Ford II teamed up to form Detroit Renaissance, a private non-profit development organization, which he headed in order to stimulate building activity in areas of Detroit that had been severely impacted. 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 Ren-Cen 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, Canada and the MacArthur Bridge, which connects the city with Belle Isle Park.[1]
The "city within a city" began to rise. The first tower opened on July 1, 1976. Noted architect John Portman designed the Renaissance Center. He was 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. 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. In 1986, the Swissotel The Stamford 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.
Phase III, a residential development, was never completed. However, a grouping of luxury residential high rises called Riverfront Towers I & II (1983) and Riverfront Towers III (1991) were contructed on the west river area during term of Mayor Coleman Young. In 1982, the city measured the population of the central business district as 37 percent lower than in 1970. By 1983, the RenCen was in default in its mortgage payments for the second time, and the four insurance agencies that bankrolled the construction, along with Ford Motor Credit, assumed 53 percent ownership. Ford Land retained about 30 percent and the original limited partners 17 percent. In 1984, the Chicago-based Rubloff Company assumed management after buying out Ford Land's interest. Over the succeeding years, there would be a number of owners.
Metro Detroit expanded upon the "city within a city" concept with the nearby 2.2 million ft² Southfield Town Center office complex with its five inter-connected golden skyscrapers. In the ensuing years, the ultra modern Renaissance Center would face competition from the growing suburban office market.
In 1987 the elevated-rail mass transit Detroit People Mover, after many years of construction, began operation with a stop at the Renaissance Center. The forbidding concrete berms located in front of the building carried most of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment for the complex.
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[2] area, northwest of downtown. In 1996, GM initially paid $73 million to owner Highgate Hotels in Texas. By 2003, GM had 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 berms facing Jefferson Avenue. The renovation includes a lighted glass walkway called the "green ring" for its green lights; it circles the mezzanine to make the complex easy to navigate, while a new Wintergarden provides a view of the riverfront and Canada. An added covered Skyway over Jefferson Avenue connects to the Millender Center, Courtyard by Marriott - Downtown Detroit, Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, as a sort of "enclosed city within a city". In addition to the renovation cost, work continued in and around the complex until 2005 which included reconfiguring the roads.
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 1298 room hotel is the largest operated by Marriott. Besides a $100 million makeover for the hotel, the rooftop restaurant (which no longer rotates) received a $10 million renovation and is occupied by the 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. In his 2005 book, American City: Detroit Archetecture 1845-2005, noted architectural writer Robert Sharoff touted the city's architecture as among America's finest.
[edit] 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 and has gained a reputation for being a "city within a city" due to the tight cluster of buildings and vast amount of office space within them. From the top of the Renaissance Center's Coach Insignia restaurant, patrons peer down upon the neogothic spires of the Comerica Tower. The view from the top extends for 30 miles in all directions. There is a pedestrian walkway over Jefferson Avenue connecting the complex to the Millender Center, which has another walkway to the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. Hart Plaza, Cobo Hall (home to the North American International Auto Show) and Joe Louis Arena are several blocks to the west, and Comerica Park and Ford Field 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 buildings' modernist architecture and isolated setting form a significant portion of the city's skyline, as the complex is almost always included in photographs, artwork, and souvenir items. The center can be seen from the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario.
[edit] Statistics
In 1977, phase I of the Renaissance Center cost $337 million to construct; the centerpiece is the 1,298-room hotel, 73-story 727 foot (221 m) central tower. In 1977, its central tower opened as the tallest hotel in the world. It remains the tallest all hotel skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and it is still the tallest building in Michigan. The building is famous for its cylindrical design. The smaller cylinders on sides of all the towers house the elevators. The huge atrium now houses a "GM World", a show case for GM vehicles. The four surrounding 39 story office towers (100-400) each reach 522 feet (159 m). In 1981, two 21 story towers (500-600) were added each of which reach 339 feet (103 m). GM gained control of Tower 500 and 600 in 2001. Entirely owned by General Motors, the complex has 5.5 million square feet of space with 150,000 square feet devoted to retail. Of the 8,000 people who work in the complex, 6,000 are GM employees. The hotel has one of largest ballrooms in the United States and includes a major conference center. In 2003, GM completed its $500 million renovation of the Renaissance Center, though work continued in an around the complex until 2005. Estimates to construct the Renaissance Center could exceed $5 billion.
| Building | Stories | Height | Square footage | Principle tenant | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Hotel Tower | 73 | 727 foot (221 m) | Marriott | 1977 | |
| Southeast Tower (Tower 300) | 39 | 522 feet (159 m) | 554,000 | General Motors | 1977 |
| Southwest Tower (Tower 100) | 39 | 522 feet (159 m) | 554,000 | General Motors | 1977 |
| Northeast Tower (Tower 200) | 39 | 522 feet (159 m) | 554,000 | General Motors | 1977 |
| Northwest Tower (Tower 400) | 39 | 522 feet (159 m) | 554,000 | General Motors | 1977 |
| "Wintergarden" Atrium | 5 | 103 Feet (31.39m) | Various retailers, GM Wintergarden | 2001 | |
| Tower 500 (not pictured) | 21 | 339 feet (103 m) | Electrontic Data Systems | 1981 | |
| Tower 600 (not pictured) | 21 | 339 feet (103 m) | Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu | 1981 |
[edit] Tower 100
- The tower contains a United States Post Office on its second floor.
- Towers 100 and 200 can be accessed from the front of the podium, which lies exacty 14' (4.27m) higher than the Atwater Street/Wintergarden entrance at the back of the podium.
- This building is 503'-2.2" to the main roof parapet wall.
- If measured from the front of the podium along Jefferson Avenue, Towers 100 and 200 are exactly 14' shorter.
[edit] Tower 200
- The Renaissance Conference Center is located on the second floor of this tower.
- 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.
- This building is 503'-2.2" to the main roof parapet wall.
[edit] Tower 300
- The Renaissance Conference Center is located on the second floor of this tower.
- Towers 300 and 400 can be accessed from the front of the podium, which lies exacty 14' (4.27m) higher than the Atwater Street/Wintergarden entrance at the back of the podium.
- This building is 503'-2.2" to the main roof parapet wall
[edit] Tower 400
- The Consulate-General of Japan has an office at this tower.
- This building is 503'-2.2" to the main roof parapet wall
[edit] Tower 500
- Towers 500 and 600 (which are not pictured) can be accessed by from the front of the podium along North Renaissance Center Drive, which sits 33'-8" higher than the back of the podium along Franklin Street.
- The parapet wall rises 4'-3" above the main roof deck of this building.
[edit] Tower 600
- The parapet wall rises 4'-3" above the main roof deck of this building.
[edit] Facts about the Renaissance Center complex
- The 73 story hotel in the Renaissance Center complex is surrounded by four 39 story office towers linked to two more 21 story towers.
- The Renaissance Center contains 5.5 million square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of retail space, and over 8,000 employees, making it one of the largest mixed-use complexes in the United States.
- The tower's shape is a large cylinder with a smaller cylinder for elevators running up the side.
- Has a spacious atrium lobby with artificial ponds, rounded concrete balconies, and terraces.
- Tallest building in the state of Michigan since 1977.
- This is the tallest all-hotel building in the Western Hemisphere.
- In 1996, GM purchased the Renaissance Center for its World Headquarters.
- An extensive renovation of the complex was completed in 2003; however, work continued in and around the complex until 2005. The 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 cost of the renovation does not include the cost for reconfiguring the streets around the Renaissance Center or the cost of river park along the Detroit International Riverfront.
- Floors 71 through 73 include the Coach Insignia, an upscale restaurant with a lounge area/observation floor.
- The 1298 room hotel at the Renaissance Center is the largest operated by Marriott.
- The hotel has no labeled 7th, 8th, or 13th floors.
- The hotel is one meter taller than Portman's similar design for the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta
- This building is 738'-5" tall from lowest basement service level to the structural top of this building, which is the exterior elevator tower. And, it's 747'-0" from the basement driveway level.
- The renovation of the Renaissance Center included the reconfiguration of the shopping center and added a 103' (31.4 meter) tall Wintergarden atrium at the back of the hotel with open access to the Detroit International Riverfront.
- Since the Renaissance Center is built into a riverbank, the front entrance along Jefferson Avenue sits exactly 14 feet (4.3 meters) higher than the back entrance along Atwater Street.
- In December of 2001, the General Motors Wintergarden retail atrium was unvield. Designed by SmithGroup, a nationally renowned architect, it rises 103' (31.39m) tall at its highest point offering direct access to the Detroit River.
- The height is measured from the riverside entrance.
- A skyway bridging Jefferson Avenue connects the Renaissance Center to the Millender Center Apartments, just to the north.
- Built on the former site of The Henkel Flour Mills.
[edit] Redevelopment
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, the cost to re-work the roads around the complex, and the Detroit Riverwalk exceeded $1 billion; the project constituted a substantial investment in downtown. About 8,000 people work inside the complex which includes a 1298 room hotel. Nearly 2,000 state workers now occupy GM's former office building in the restored Cadillac Place in the historic New Center area. The Wintergarden added to the Renaissance Center faces the Detroit Riverfront with stunning views of the Windsor skyline. The cement berms facing Jefferson Ave. were removed greatly improving access to the complex. The complex houses offices, a hotel, retail specialty shops, restaurants, a jazz club, and a movie theater. A modern glass front door has been installed, opening up the building to visitors and to the city of Detroit. The brilliant new Wintergarden provides views of the Detroit River, a suspended green lighted glass circulation ring for easy navigation of the complex, a GM sponsored showroom of historical vehicles, a completely restored hotel, a renovated rooftop restaurant, and the addition of GM's corporate logo to crown the top of the building. 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. Among others, the Renaissance Center is featured in the film Grosse Pointe Blank, starring John Cusack and Minnie Driver. 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 major fashion event and fundraiser coordinated by the Detroit Institute of Arts
The Riverfront Promenade was dedicated on December 17, 2004 and helped to usher in a return to recreational uses of Detroit's International Riverfront. GM played a key role in the transformation of the riverfront with a donation of $120 million to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy for the development of a world class riverfront promenade which has a planned cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. With the addition of several prominent restaurants and retailers to the complex, notably Jos A Bank, Brooks Brothers, Seldom Blues, and a first-run movie theatre, the Ren-Cen has started to redefine Detroit once again for a new generation. In 2006, the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority added a new state of the art cruise ship dock adjacent to the Renaissane Center on Hart Plaza. Port authority bonds were used to add another 1500 space parking garage to the Renaissance Center. The State spent $140 to rework the roads around the Renaissance Center and another $120 for the Tri-Centenial State Park and Harbor on the riverfront. The Omni Riverplace Hotel in a restored historic structure is situated along the Riverwalk. Planned projects complementing the Renaissance Center continue along the Detroit International Riverfont which include development of luxury condominiums, retail, and entertainment usage.
[edit] Tours
The Renaissance Center offers tours which are free of charge four times a day six days a week (as of July 2006). The tour covers among other places the GM Wintergarden, GM World, an elevator ride up to the 72nd floor and a tour of the movie theater.
[edit] See also
- Chene Park
- Detroit River
- Detroit Electronic Music Festival
- Hart Plaza
- Robert Sharoff (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture 1845-2005 Wayne State University Press.
- Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival
[edit] External links
- Google Maps location of the Renaissance Center
- Detroit International Riverfront
- Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
- Detroit Renaissance, the group that financed the construction.
- The Renaissance Center at Emporis.com
- SkyscraperPage.com's Profiles on the Renaissance Center buildings:
