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The GM Renaissance Center, or RenCen for short, is the tallest and most visible building on the Detroit skyline. It sits prominently along the Detroit River near Hart Plaza.
History
The Renaissance Center was built between 1973 and 1977 by architect John Portman. The idea for the complex was conceived by Henry Ford II and financed by the Ford Motor Company. It consists of four 39-story office towers surrounding a 73-story hotel tower. All are connected via a podium including shops, restaurants, offices, and banks. Two more towers, each 21 stories tall, were completed in 1981. When it opened, the center tower was the world’s tallest hotel. At over 5.5 million square feet, it’s one of the largest commercial complexes in the world.
In 1996, General Motors purchased the building and converted it into its world headquarters. The company completely renovated it in 2004 and added several new features, which are explained below. They also rebranded the complex as GMRENCEN in July 2015.
Tours
Free guided tours of the building are offered twice daily from Monday through Friday at noon and 2pm. The tours are on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to 25 people. Visitors must register at the desk in the Jefferson Lobby, which is located at the front entrance. Note: tours stopped during COVID and I can’t find any relevant information if they’re still being offered (as of November 2023).
Jefferson Lobby
The tour starts at the Jefferson Lobby with the guide lecturing on the history and specs of the Renaissance Center. We then quickly walked outside to the GM Pavilion, which is made of glass and steel and serves as the main entrance to the complex. Next, we walked back inside and looked at a scale model of Detroit.
We also admired Borealis, which is the tallest vertical glass sculpture in the world. It was created in 2006 by Danny Lane and contains over 1,000 pieces of glass, ½” thick by 4″ wide and up to 22 feet long. Only gravity holds them in place.
From there, we walked through the Jefferson Lobby into the center of the complex, passing panels displaying innovations by General Motors. It was interesting to learn about some of the world-changing technology the company develops and that it’s not just cars and trucks.
GM World
Next, we walked down to GM World, where GM’s latest cars and trucks are on display for all to see. An associate was on hand to show us some of the great interactive displays on the showroom floor as well as talk about the videos that play on the huge screens attached to the central tower.
We also got to see some of the classic GM cars produced over the years. They sit on a rotating ring while videos play on a screen in the background and on interactive panels in front of the ring.
GM Wintergarden
Continuing on the tour, we walked to the GM Wintergarden, which is a five story tropical glass atrium that opened in December 2001. It’s surrounded by restaurants and shops and includes real palm trees.
We walked upstairs to a lobby overlooking the atrium and saw four murals, each with a different dominant color. Each mural represents something important about General Motors. The red mural represents GM’s history in Detroit while the blue mural represents the company’s ingenuity. The yellow mural represents GM’s charity, especially after reaching out to survivors of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 by donating money and resources to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund. Finally, the green mural represents the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Not coincidentally, these four colors are also the colors assigned to the four office towers.
Riverfront Promenade
Next, we walked up to a window where we could look out onto the Riverfront Promenade (it was too cold to go outside!). We were able to see a map of the world in the concrete and look across the river to Windsor, Canada. The promenade was dedicated on December 17, 2004.
Circulation Ring
Finally, as we finished the tour we walked onto the Circulation Ring. This circular glass walkway is suspended from stainless steel cables and connects visitors to each tower of the building. It also provides access to the People Mover station.
GM Company Store
Before leaving the building we popped into the GM Company Store to pick up a few souvenirs. The store is located on the second floor overlooking the Wintergarden and sells officially licensed GM merchandise.
Top Floor
What did we miss? Unfortunately, the restaurant at the top of the center tower closed in 2017 but it has since reopened. We were unable to go up to the top to enjoy the views and plan to try again on our next trip to Detroit.
Conclusion
Overall, the GM Renaissance Center is definitely worth visiting when in Detroit. The tour is informative and the complex itself is impressive.
