Thr RenCen was part of a plan to redo the Detroit Riverfront from bridge to bridge. The plans started around the early 50s with the developing of the Veterans Memorial Building. Ford Auditorium and Cobo Hall came soon after. Hart Plaza was part of the plan as well. The RenCen was part of that plan which originally was to have around eight smaller towers. I guess the location was also picked following the location of the World Trade Centers in New York which was at the foot of lower Manhattan. Unfortunately unlike New York downtown Detroit land the rest of the city were on a decline hemorrhaging people and businesses each year sine 1950.