Renaissance Center at a Crossroads?

[Jimaz]

Highlands, a new-ish restaurant on the 71st floor of the hotel tower is one of the best restaurants in the city....

With a name like Highlands, I was curious whether they had haggis. I didn't see it on their menu. Somehow I don't think it would be very popular in the U.S. anyway. LOL!

Looks like a very nice place though.

• Highlands Detroit

[stasu1213]

What if GM sell the RenCen then take up space inside the Hudson's Block being that most of their employees remotely work anyway

[bragaboutme]

The building lives up to it's concept, but falls off in design because every tower is the same height. Take away the height of one of the towers on the Jefferson side, add height to the riverfront side well over the height of the hotel and put designed roof on top not flat, the color should be a gold glass similar to the ones like in Southfield. The rest I could do a design for if they would open it up to the public for submission. The original design is savable and if done right could attract tenants from across the globe. I see a lot of potential and you would be surprised how many designs people would submit that would be amazing.

[southen]

The building lives up to it's concept, but falls off in design because every tower is the same height. Take away the height of one of the towers on the Jefferson side, add height to the riverfront side well over the height of the hotel and put designed roof on top not flat, the color should be a gold glass similar to the ones like in Southfield. The rest I could do a design for if they would open it up to the public for submission. The original design is savable and if done right could attract tenants from across the globe. I see a lot of potential and you would be surprised how many designs people would submit that would be amazing.

Are you serious?

[night-timer]

That entire waterfront/riverside area needs further improvements, along with someone who actually has the vision to realize what that part of Detroit can become. It's not a sh-thole or a 'basket case' - it is Downtown with water views and Canada views.

The Ren Cen is so close to Greektown [[casino, nightlife, bars, restaurants, a relatively safe area after-dark, etc) on foot/walking distance.

A bunch of other stuff is super-close-by to the Ren Cen too, like Cobo Hall, plus easy access along Jefferson Avenue to Belle Isle.

Do something with it - the Ren Cen is a good part of Detroit, even if Hart Plaza is still looking a bit 'rusty'.

I'm sure the plan was always to make the Ren Cen a 'showcase area' for the City of Detroit... so make it happen!

[GPCharles]

Ren-Cen is one of three similar John Portman designed developments, along with Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta and Bonaventure Plaza in Los Angeles. Ren-Cen is the only one that is on a riverfront, limiting 180 degrees of access to the rest of the city.

[401don]

That entire waterfront/riverside area needs further improvements, along with someone who actually has the vision to realize what that part of Detroit can become. It's not a sh-thole or a 'basket case' - it is Downtown with water views and Canada views.

The Ren Cen is so close to Greektown [[casino, nightlife, bars, restaurants, a relatively safe area after-dark, etc) on foot/walking distance.

A bunch of other stuff is super-close-by to the Ren Cen too, like Cobo Hall, plus easy access along Jefferson Avenue to Belle Isle.

Do something with it - the Ren Cen is a good part of Detroit, even if Hart Plaza is still looking a bit 'rusty'.

I'm sure the plan was always to make the Ren Cen a 'showcase area' for the City of Detroit... so make it happen!

That's a great idea, which bodes the question....What exactly?

[Gistok]

I think that the biggest mistake GM made when they spent $500 million on revamping the Renaissance Center was the location of the Wintergarten. They should have put it on the side facing Jefferson.

Facing the river is nice in theory, but it hasn't brought that much traffic into the complex from the Riverwalk. If it were facing downtown, then folks from other office towers could either walking over to the Wintergarten to shop or have lunch/dinner, and it wouldn't require walking thru a labyrinth first. Especially if folks took the People Mover, and when they got off they were right in the Wintergarten.

People using the Riverwalk aren't there to shop. I can't imagine schlepping your packages with you while walking along the river! Meals from the Riverwalk... maybe... but that's still just a seasonal thing.

[kuuma]

Facing the river is nice in theory, but it hasn't brought that much traffic into the complex from the Riverwalk. If it were facing downtown, then folks from other office towers could either walking over to the Wintergarten to shop or have lunch/dinner, and it wouldn't require walking thru a labyrinth first. Especially if folks took the People Mover, and when they got off they were right in the Wintergarten.

It does feel like there's a disconnect of use between the folks coming through the plaza via the Riverwalk and those entering the atrium. They're not really connected, just side by side. In fact when I moved here I didn't realize you could publicly walk into the Wintergarden from the RW until I was at the RenCen for a con! There isn't much drawing you in from the outside, no signage or signs of life on the outside [[and the street, which is questionably necessary, doesn't help).

Not to harp on about Brookfield Place as a comparison, but there are some noticeable ways it's inviting people to go in and out, really integrating with the outdoor space. RenCen maintains that fortress-like ambiance.

[stasu1213]

The RenCen once had a glass like atrium in the front facing Jefferson in the 90s before GM had purchased it. Stores such as Waldens bookstore and The Coffee Beanery were in the atrium. GM came in and by 2002 put the Winter Garden in the back. Jo's A Bank, Godiva, and Hallmark weren't getting the businesses hoped for in the Winter Garden ending in their stores. Brookfield Place is in an area where there's plenty of foot traffic. An investor or developer such as a Dan Gilbert would probably move the Winter Gardens to the front facing Jefferson and place shops inside. Mary Bara and GM only care about keeping GM headquarters strictly an office building with a few amenities that only it's employees could enjoy and screw the rest.

[Gistok]

^ Yes stasu1213... I remember the old main entrance... it was sort of rectangular shape, with the long hypotenuse of the triangle being the glassed entrance [[hidden from Jefferson behind the berms), and the other 2 shorter sides of the triangle being the 2 level store fronts, separated by a way towards the central core of the hotel 8 story atrium. It did look like part of a 2 level shopping center.

[kuuma]

Brookfield Place is in an area where there's plenty of foot traffic. An investor or developer such as a Dan Gilbert would probably move the Winter Gardens to the front facing Jefferson and place shops inside.

Rather than moving it around again, would it not make more sense to build up the surrounding area so that the foot traffic does become sufficient? Currently the building is flanked by 4 parking garages, an acres-long surface lot, a high-speed 12-lane road connecting multiple highways, a border-crossing facility, and ZERO residential or other commercial. There won't ever be enough foot traffic for something better without eliding the campus with a complete neighborhood.

[Jason]

The RenCen once had a glass like atrium in the front facing Jefferson in the 90s before GM had purchased it. Stores such as Waldens bookstore and The Coffee Beanery were in the atrium. GM came in and by 2002 put the Winter Garden in the back. Jo's A Bank, Godiva, and Hallmark weren't getting the businesses hoped for in the Winter Garden ending in their stores. Brookfield Place is in an area where there's plenty of foot traffic. An investor or developer such as a Dan Gilbert would probably move the Winter Gardens to the front facing Jefferson and place shops inside. Mary Bara and GM only care about keeping GM headquarters strictly an office building with a few amenities that only it's employees could enjoy and screw the rest.

Specifically what kind of retail do you think the Ren Cen should have instead?

[bragaboutme]

Are you serious?

Yes, they've done it in other cities and the person in the article said they were thinking of taking one of the Towers down or a re-design wasn't far fetched. The building is iconic it needs to be something that draws you in not causes mixed reactions.

[Gistok]

Yes, they've done it in other cities and the person in the article said they were thinking of taking one of the Towers down or a re-design wasn't far fetched. The building is iconic it needs to be something that draws you in not causes mixed reactions.

I don't agree with your idea, but find it interesting. If anything came down, it would be Towers 500 and 600... having just 3 of 4 39 story towers surrounding the hotel tower would look very odd indeed.

[stasu1213]

Specifically what kind of retail do you think the Ren Cen should have instead?

I would not suggest any retail at this point. The location if the Winter Garden is a dead zone during the colder months. I would redo the area facing Jefferson and put shops and boutiques in it. GM should place classic GM cars throughout the complex that are from the 30s through the 80s for visitors coming to the complex. GM head classic cars displayed throughout their former complex on West Grand Blvd

[southen]

Yes, they've done it in other cities and the person in the article said they were thinking of taking one of the Towers down or a re-design wasn't far fetched. The building is iconic it needs to be something that draws you in not causes mixed reactions.

Converting a tower to residential does not mean that the tower is coming down or that they will increase or decrease the height. That would be something strange to do to Detroit's most iconic and recognizable building. As would be taking design cues from other towers built in the 1970s.

[Gistok]

Converting a tower to residential does not mean that the tower is coming down or that they will increase or decrease the height. That would be something strange to do to Detroit's most iconic and recognizable building. As would be taking design cues from other towers built in the 1970s.

It would also play havoc with the design on my RenCen Pewabic Pottery tile...

[takascar]

That entire waterfront/riverside area needs further improvements, along with someone who actually has the vision to realize what that part of Detroit can become. It's not a sh-thole or a 'basket case' - it is Downtown with water views and Canada views.

The Ren Cen is so close to Greektown [[casino, nightlife, bars, restaurants, a relatively safe area after-dark, etc) on foot/walking distance.

A bunch of other stuff is super-close-by to the Ren Cen too, like Cobo Hall, plus easy access along Jefferson Avenue to Belle Isle.

Do something with it - the Ren Cen is a good part of Detroit, even if Hart Plaza is still looking a bit 'rusty'.

I'm sure the plan was always to make the Ren Cen a 'showcase area' for the City of Detroit... so make it happen!

First thing, go into Hart Plaza and rip out that butt-ugly donut on stilts. It was only build as an apology for the Japanese internment in WWII. Libtards wanting to bash the US, prostrated themselves and begged the designer to design something ugly as penance for "all of our evil imperialistic sins".

Best use of that was at a German festival in the 1980s - a bunch of folks got drunk and climbed into the tub in the middle and used it as a jacuzzi.

[Gistok]

First thing, go into Hart Plaza and rip out that butt-ugly donut on stilts. It was only build as an apology for the Japanese internment in WWII. Libtards wanting to bash the US, prostrated themselves and begged the designer to design something ugly as penance for "all of our evil imperialistic sins".

Oh Lordy...

I Googled "Chicago blob"... and something akin to a shiny bean [I wanted to say turd] showed up... but what does it do?

[stasu1213]

Within the last 7 years:

GM World and the food court, which is most of the lower level of the podium, was completely renovated and it turned out really nice.

[[They also had plans to basically rebuild the NE corner of the podium, extending it directly to the People Mover station, but these were cancelled.)

Two newer and better restaurants at the top.

The Marriot renovated all of their rooms and other spaces.

I'm not sure but I think they renovated GMs office space too.

Those renovations are nice but it only serve the people whom work in the offices and some whom just happen to drop in. The RenCen is the symbol of Detroit. That is what the Ford family designed it to be years before they dropped it like a hot potatoe. Eventhough the RenCen waslikea maze walking through it when Ford had owned it; it was also an attraction for visitors. Sure GM had done a great job redesigning it. They had also removed the horrible smelly berns and opened the complex to the rest of the world. When Wagoner was fired as GM CEO things changed for the RenCen. It became an island to itself once agan with restaurants and shops only catering to its workers and stragglers. Converting the smaller two towers into condos and apartments[[non section 8 nor affordable living) would not be a bad idea.

[southen]

First thing, go into Hart Plaza and rip out that butt-ugly donut on stilts. It was only build as an apology for the Japanese internment in WWII. Libtards wanting to bash the US, prostrated themselves and begged the designer to design something ugly as penance for "all of our evil imperialistic sins".

I was just thinking that this thread was doing pretty well and staying on point then a new contender for village idiot decided to emerge...

[K-slice]

I'll say it again... Car museum. GM must have thousands of old vehicles hidden away in warehouses gathering dust. There are some absolutely massive retail spaces in there that are hidden from public view that could easily accommodate.

[Jimaz]

I was just thinking that this thread was doing pretty well....

You don't need to Google his quotation to know that it's fictitious. Just ask "What evil empire would say that?"

Any cause that has to resort to imagining enemies cannot itself be legitimate.

[royce]

Is it possible to open up the ground floor to the outside [[meaning take down the roof of the circular area between the towers and the center hotel tower and open it up to the elements)? Would that make it easier to navigate? In warmer months you could have outdoor seating for restaurants that would be placed on that level. This has been my two cents.