Renaissance Center No Longer Bears The GM Logo

The General Motors logo will no longer light up the tallest tower of Detroit’s Renaissance Center, according to Crain’s Detroit Business. Three months after moving its headquarters to Hudson’s Detroit, the automaker has removed its brand name from the digital billboard atop the 727-foot skyscraper. The Marriott sign now rotates in place. The changes, small on a physical scale, carry a symbolic impact for a city that has seen GM fly its flag at RenCen for three decades.

GM has owned most of the complex, including the hotel and four office towers, since the mid-1990s. After its January relocation to Dan Gilbert’s Hudson development, the company continued to display the Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick logos on digital displays for a 90-day grace period. That window ended earlier this month. “As part of our move to our new headquarters at Hudson’s Detroit earlier this year, we recently updated the exterior signage at the Renaissance Center, with the Detroit Marriott now the main logo on the building,” GM said in a statement. “Even with these changes, General Motors’ commitment to Detroit and its riverfront and downtown areas remains as strong as ever.”

That commitment now takes the form of a $1.6 billion redevelopment, a joint venture with Bedrock. Two office buildings closest to the river will be demolished. The remaining two office towers will be converted into contemporary office space and residential units. The hotel will shrink from 1,300 rooms to about 850, converting lost inventory into more housing. Workers will remove the glass-enclosed retail podium to open pedestrian access to the riverfront from Jefferson Avenue. As CEO Mary Barra said, “Detroit on the Hudson represents the next chapter for GM and Detroit.” The Marriott will remain open until demolition begins, likely after Detroit hosts the 2027 NCAA Men’s Final Four. For now, the skyline says Marriott. The GM brand has moved north, but not away.