DETROIT – Could there already be a snag in the plan to redevelop the Renaissance Center? Possibly. On Monday, Preservation Detroit submitted a letter to Detroit City Council, urging them to press pause on development plans involving the demolition of two of the RenCen’s towers.
“We’re just looking for cautious treatment of what is an iconic building. We’re not looking to direct the process, we’re just looking that the process accommodates the interests of all of Detroit,” said Preservation Detroit board president, Devan Anderson.
The letter argued the building, which went under construction in 1973, is of civic and historical importance to the city. “We feel that what’s being proposed is going to irrevocably change that and might be a hasty decision.”
A designation on the National Register of Historic Places would not prevent demolition. But if the city were to designate it as such on the local level, the review process would stop demolition for a year.
Late Tuesday afternoon, representatives for Council President, Mary Sheffield responded to Local 4’s request for comment saying, “a historic designation is currently under consideration.
The Planning and Economic Development Committee meets this Thursday, February 27th and will be discussing the possibility of exploring a historic designation study. However, Preservation Detroit says if the committee agrees to do a study into the building’s significance, it will pause any demolition for an entire year while the review is underway.
Bedrock and GM’s proposed redevelopment plan includes demolishing two towers, creating a signature public park connecting downtown to the riverfront. It would also make way for a hotel, apartments and affordable housing.
