[Jack Aylmer]
TWO BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT COULD BE DEMOLISHED AS PART OF A NEW PLAN TO TRANSFORM THE RIVERFRONT.
GENERAL MOTORS AND REAL ESTATE FIRM BEDROCK ANNOUNCING MONDAY A DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT WOULD PERMANENTLY ALTER THE RENAISSANCE CENTER.
THE 39 STORY TOWERS OPENED IN 1976 AND ARE MICHIGAN’S MOST RECOGNIZABLE LANDMARK.
SERVING AS GM’S HEADQUARTERS SINCE THE 90’S
BUT WITH ONE POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS–TWO OF THE TOWERS WOULD BE REMOVED TO MAKE ROOM FOR A CLUSTER OF HOUSING AND OFFICE SPACE
THE AUTOMAKER OWNS THE COMPLEX BUT SOON WILL SET UP SHOP IN THE CORE OF DOWNTOWN – A MOVE ANNOUNCED BACK IN 2021.
BEDROCK IS INVESTING ONE BILLION DOLLARS INTO THE PROPOSAL
WHILE G-M AND WAYNE COUNTY ARE JOINING FORCES TO TRANSFORM THE SOON VACANT PROPERTY INTO WHAT THEY SAY WILL ‘PRESERVE MOST OF THE SKYLINE AND REDUCE THE CENTER’S OFFICE FOOTPRINT.’
THE PLAN STILL NEEDS THE APPROVAL FROM STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS. SOMETHING BOTH COMPANIES SAY IS CRUCIAL.
BUT GARNISHING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM LAWMAKERS MAY PROVE TOUGH. ONCE DEMOCRATS GAINED CONTROL OVER THE STATE HOUSE AND SENATE LAST YEAR, REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS PUSHED BACK AGAINST USING STATE INCENTIVES TO FUND CORPORATE PLANS.
A BATTLE THAT COULD CONTINUE AS REPUBLICANS PLAN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE MICHIGAN HOUSE IN JANUARY. IN A NEWS CONFERENCE INCOMING REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER MATT HALL SAYS PAYING FOR THE DEMOLITION AND REDEVELOPMENT SHOULD FALL ON GM NOT TAXPAYERS.
DETROIT’S MAYOR MIKE DUGGAN SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT A PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTERNSHIP IS NEEDED TO AVOID QUOTE ‘The decades of inaction that accompanied so many other Detroit Landmarks.’
QUESTIONS AROUND THE FUTURE OF MICHIGAN’S TALLEST SKYSCRAPER AROSE IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC THAT DISRUPTED WORKPLACE MODELS AND SENT MANY TO DO THEIR JOBS REMOTELY.
MORE THAN 51,000 PEOPLE IN MICHIGAN WORK FOR GM DESPITE THIS YEAR’S GLOBAL LAYOFFS.
THE CENTRAL TOWER, HOME TO A MARRIOTT HOTEL, WOULD DECREASE ITS TOTAL NUMBER OF ROOMS AND CONVERT THE TOP FLOORS INTO HIGH-END FAMILY APARTMENTS.
DEMOLITION COULD START ON THE TWO OFFICE BUILDINGS WITHIN TWO YEARS.
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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS I’M JACK AYLMER
