The Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) has announced its readiness to commence negotiations with developers General Motors Co. (GM) and Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock LLC. These negotiations center on plans for the demolition of a portion of the Renaissance Center (RenCen) complex and its conversion into an entertainment district situated along the Detroit River.
NAC Chair Jamaine Dickens confirmed to BridgeDetroit that the council is prepared to draft the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) ahead of an Oct. 6 deadline. This week marks the conclusion of formal community feedback gathering, which included public NAC working meetings and a dedicated email for resident input, closing on Wednesday. The advisory council will now proceed with a closed, line-by-line drafting process to finalize the agreement by the deadline.
The project, with an estimated cost of $2.2 billion, falls under Detroit’s Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO) process, which has faced skepticism since its establishment in 2016. At a CBO meeting on Tuesday night, many residents and local advocates reiterated longstanding concerns about public funding being directed towards the private development. District 5 resident Josh Loerke expressed the sentiment for "real community benefit for our public dollar that we’re spending," emphasizing the need for tangible public benefits beyond the development itself. Concerns were particularly voiced regarding the actual benefits residents, especially Black Detroiters and local businesses outside the downtown area, would see citywide. The Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD), through its Senior Director of Public Policy Anthony Eid, presented a list of community benefits demands to the NAC and developers, covering five key themes.
Developers GM and Bedrock presented official redevelopment plans earlier this summer for the multi-phase, decades-long project. These plans include demolishing two of the five mostly empty RenCen towers, converting the remaining towers into housing, hotel, and office spaces, and developing approximately 30 acres of nearby riverfront into an entertainment district. The overall project has a complex financial structure, with the RenCen redevelopment estimated at $1.6 billion and the riverfront expansion at $600 million. Developers are seeking $548 million in subsidies and anticipate about $505 million of debt after contributions from the developers and the Downtown Development Authority. They propose recouping some costs over 30 years through a series of tax breaks and public subsidies. Developers anticipate the project will generate over $300 million in direct tax payments over the same period, which can be paid directly to the city via a new pilot program. Developers claim their motivation is rooted in philanthropy and care for the city, projecting only a 1% return on their investment.
NAC Chair Dickens highlighted the council's extensive work in organizing community and internal ideas to be represented in the CBA. He stated that the negotiation document would remain open until finalization in late October, emphasizing the evolving nature of the process shaped by community feedback. The drafting process was originally slated to begin earlier but was postponed. Tuesday’s meeting was the seventh of up to eleven total meetings scheduled for the NAC before a final vote in October. However, internal discussions at the meeting revealed tensions, with elected NAC member Teron Haynes posing questions and concerns related to financial analysis, gentrification, philanthropy, and a proposed marina addition. Dickens deemed these inquiries out of order, suggesting they would be more appropriate when the NAC presents its identified benefits and impacts to the community. Patrice Love was voted in as a new alternate NAC member, effective immediately, following the resignation of Steven Lavrenz due to family reasons.
Since the initial development proposals were announced in 2024, many vocal residents have remained wary or heartbroken. Yet, some residents, particularly elder residents, students, and local business owners, have expressed excitement for new entertainment and economic growth opportunities. Waymonna Brooks, a grandmother of ten, shared her desire for her grandchildren to enjoy a part of Detroit she once knew, noting the city is “coming back beautifully.” The CBO, which mandated these meetings, was first adopted by Detroit in 2016 and amended in 2021. It requires developers of projects valued at $75 million or more, receiving significant public subsidies or tax abatements, to engage in resident benefits negotiations. Past CBO processes have resulted in local investments, such as $2.5 million for outdoor basketball courts via an agreement with the Detroit Pistons and funding for youth programming and skate parks at the former Herman Kiefer complex.
The Renaissance Center, opened in 1976, is a recognized Michigan landmark. Its purchase by GM in 1996 was a catalyst for downtown Detroit’s revitalization and the development of the Riverwalk, with GM having invested over $1 billion in improvements to the site to date.
