Explore the history of Detroit's Renaissance Center, from its design and construction in the 1970s to its role as a symbol of the automotive industry and its ongoing significance in the city's business and tourism landscape.

* This funding is contingent on the state Legislature extending the Transformational Brownfield program.

* The $1.6 billion plan includes demolishing two towers and converting others into apartments, a hotel, and office space.

General Motors and Dan Gilbert's Bedrock now have a $75 million cash commitment to help support their ambitious $1.6 billion redevelopment proposal for the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit.

The quasi-public Detroit Downtown Development Authority on Wednesday, Nov. 12, approved that commitment toward the redevelopment plan, specifically $20 million to reimburse Bedrock for the future cost of demolishing the Renaissance Center's "podium" and later $55 million to reimburse the real estate firm for the cost of building an elaborate civic space around the redeveloped RenCen complex.

However, the DDA's $75 million commitment is dependent on the state Legislature first approving an extension of the Transformational Brownfield program, which would be the primary development incentive for the $1.6 billion RenCen overhaul.

If Lansing doesn't grant an extension and there is no Transformation Brownfield approved for the RenCen redevelopment by a March 31, 2027, deadline, then the DDA commitment becomes null and void.

Bedrock CEO Jared Fleisher said he is confident that the legislature will ultimately approve the brownfield expansion before the deadline. However, he said he doesn't know when legislators could vote on it.

"We believe it's been a very successful, bipartisan program that is delivering on its promise across the state," Fleisher said of the Transformational Brownfield program. "It checks all the boxes of what both parties are looking for in economic development and in growth strategy."

GM and Bedrock first unveiled their RenCen redevelopment proposal last fall. Since then, the plan has appeared to be in a holding pattern while awaiting action in Lansing that would raise the funding cap to extend the Transformational Brownfield program.

During the DDA's Wednesday afternoon meeting, Fleisher emphasized that the $75 million commitment would be paid out only as reimbursement for demo and construction work once it has happened, meaning that the funding award -- which wouldn't need to be repaid -- would be entirely performance-based.

The DDA board members voted unanimously in favor of the commitment, with one abstention.

"This is the kind of thing that we absolutely should be committing ourselves to," board member David Blaszkiewicz said.

"I think it's a great use of the money," said board member Richard Hosey.

The overall $1.6 billion redevelopment plan calls for demolishing two of the original five RenCen towers and the complex podium and creating a massive riverfront park and civic space. The multistory podium is the concrete-heavy structure at the base of the complex that connects all five towers.

Of the remaining three RenCen towers:

* The 72-floor center tower -- currently a Marriott -- would become a mix of mid-market hotel space (about 858 rooms) and 200 for-rent apartments. There also would be an observation deck.

* The 39-floor Tower 100 would be converted from office space to about 384 for-rent apartments.

* The 39-floor Tower 200 would remain office space.

GM officials said during Wednesday's meeting that daily occupancy in the RenCen is now down to less than 10% what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. GM is preparing in January to relocate its global headquarters out of the RenCen and to Bedrock's new Hudson's Detroit office building.

"The part that you're partnering with us on is the public infrastructure," David Massaron, GM's vice president of infrastructure, said during the DDA meeting. "It's the pieces that enable the public to reclaim the riverfront, to really undo a wrong in the urban planning of that building."

Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or [email protected]. Follow him on X @jcreindl