Sad Day: General Motors Moving Detroit Headquarters

I find the news a bit sad.  When I was the Ford National Dealer Council Chairman, I spent over 100 nights per year in Detroit.  The Renaissance Center, or the RenCen as the locals called it, was a mainstay of the Downtown area, which at that time I was told to never go to after dark.  Henry Ford II was the brainchild behind the complex with a vision of revitalizing Detroit.  I was in the building a number of times and it was spectacular, albeit scattered and hard to maneuver around.

When CEO Mary Barra took over 10 years ago, she said she would “break down the silos” referring to the physical separation in GM employees at the Renaissance Center towers.  Now, she is making good on that promise, abandoning the complex GM bought where rival Ford was located.  The 73-story main tower also houses a Marriott Hotel.

So history will be left behind as General Motors relocates its global headquarters to Hudson’s Detroit in 2025, a move recently announced by the automaker. Its new headquarters will become the anchor tenant at Bedrock’s development on the historic site of the former J.L. Hudson Department Store. GM says this marks its fourth headquarters location in the city since 1911, reaffirming its longstanding commitment to Detroit. GM says it along with Bedrock, the city of Detroit and Wayne County will establish a partnership to explore redevelopment opportunities for the Renaissance Center site over approximately the next year, prior to its move to Hudson’s Detroit.

“We are proud to remain in the city of Detroit in a modern office building that fits the evolving needs of our workforce, right in the heart of downtown,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra. “Our new headquarters will provide collaboration areas for our teams, executive offices and display space for our vehicles. Dan Gilbert and Bedrock have done so much to make downtown Detroit a great place to live, work and visit. We are thrilled to be a significant part of the historic Hudson’s project and also look forward to working with them to explore new ideas and opportunities for the Renaissance Center site and the riverfront.”

Key Facts About The GM Renaissance Center:

• The first tower of the Renaissance Center opened July 1, 1976, following about three years of construction, according to the Detroit Historical Society.
• At the time, it was the country's largest privately funded real estate development, the Historical Society said.
• The development was a vision of Henry Ford II as a way to revive Detroit and the automotive industry.
• The creation of the Renaissance Center was spearheaded by a coalition of civic leaders hoping to set the city up for revitalization through the "Detroit Renaissance."
• The first five buildings were constructed at a cost of $350 million.
• The Renaissance Center is composed of seven buildings including multiple office towers and a hotel.
• GM purchased the site in 1996 for $73 million, and it became the automaker's world headquarters.
• Eight years later, the automaker completed a $500 million renovation.
• Occupying more than 14 acres of land, the Renaissance Center is large enough to have its own ZIP code.
• The central tower has remained the tallest building in Michigan since it opened.
• According to GM's website, obtaining the Renaissance Center as the company's global headquarters was a milestone that sparked a renaissance in Detroit and enhanced the area along the Detroit River.

The move to Hudson’s Detroit will mark GM’s return to Woodward Avenue, where it established its first headquarters in the city. GM says it's now entered into an initial 15-year, multi-level lease for the top office floors of the state-of-the-art office building as well as showcase space on the street level for GM vehicles and community activations.

“For more than a century, General Motors has been synonymous with the city of Detroit, and we warmly welcome them to Hudson’s as they continue to drive the future of innovation and mobility,” said Dan Gilbert, Chairman & Founder of Bedrock. “I can’t think of a better organization to help define the new legacy of Hudson’s as General Motors continues to shape the way the world moves directly from Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit.”

“GM has been in the city for more than 100 years and it’s great to see that commitment continue as they move their headquarters to the heart of downtown at Hudson’s Detroit. In my time as mayor, I am proud that our team has worked together with GM and Bedrock to build on the city’s revitalization,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “Hudson’s Detroit marks a significant development in the city and returns an iconic name back to where it belongs. GM, meanwhile, is already building EVs at its Factory ZERO plant, located here in Detroit. I am equally excited to see what these two great companies imagine when it comes to the future redevelopment of the Renaissance Center.”

You can read more about this historic move here.

Photo:  GM.