Renaissance Center at a Crossroads?

[southen]

I didn't read the article due to the paywall but I think the isolation of the center, in addition to the confusing layout, plays a big part. If GM were to finally develop the lots it owns on the riverfront and create a true mixed use district you might see more people willing to lease space or live in the building. In a way it is like a corporate District Detroit right now. One big building surrounded by parking with little to offer anyone not going to the place with a purpose.

[K-slice]

If GM were to finally develop the lots it owns on the riverfront and create a true mixed use district you might see more people willing to lease space or live in the building. In a way it is like a corporate District Detroit right now. One big building surrounded by parking with little to offer anyone not going to the place with a purpose.

Bingo, the Ren Cen has one side that can actually connect to other development and they squander it with giant parking garages and fenced in surface lots. Acres and acres of prime riverfront real estate which should be full of hotels, apartments, condos, and retail are barren parking lots.

[kuuma]

Bingo, the Ren Cen has one side that can actually connect to other development and they squander it with giant parking garages and fenced in surface lots. Acres and acres of prime riverfront real estate which should be full of hotels, apartments, condos, and retail are barren parking lots.

Yep, this is the obvious fix from my perspective. The closest commensurate development I know is NYC's Brookfield Place, which is also a multi-tower office complex with a beautiful glass wintergarden overlooking the riverfront... the difference being Brookfield is surrounded by a very thoroughly planned residential district called Battery Park City [[and of course, the WTC complex is just across the way).

it's mind boggling to me how that surface lot is still a wasteland with how many people frequent the riverwalk. there's so much opportunity for foot traffic there, why is there no plan for retail/residential along Atwater there?

Detroit is going in the right direction in thinking of mixed-use repurposing for existing and planned big projects, but we simply have to be moving faster in eliminating these massive parking lot dead zones if we want to save office spaces from completely losing their quality-of-life appeal. Won't start on transit expansion in this thread but those are the two solutions imo