General Motors is expected to announce Monday that it plans to move its world headquarters in Detroit’s tallest building — the Renaissance Center — to the new Hudson’s skyscraper less than a mile way in downtown Detroit.
Here are some key facts and history about GM’s iconic Detroit home.
- The first tower of the Renaissance Center opened on 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.
For a more detailed timeline, click here.