Ally Detroit Center

Coordinates: 42°19′48″N 83°02′42″W / 42.330°N 83.045°W / 42.330; -83.045
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Not to be confused with Comerica Bank Tower.
Ally Detroit Center
Map
Alternative namesComerica Tower
500 Woodward Avenue
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeCommercial offices
Location500 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates42°19′48″N 83°02′42″W / 42.330°N 83.045°W / 42.330; -83.045
Construction started1991
Completed1993
Height
Antenna spire188.7 m (619 ft)
Roof184.9 m (607 ft)
Top floor176.2 m (578 ft)
Technical details
Floor count43
2 below ground
Floor area1,674,700 sq ft (155,580 m2)
Lifts/elevators22
Design and construction
Architect(s)Philip Johnson
John Burgee
DeveloperHines Interests
Main contractorWalbridge Aldinger Company
References
[1][2][3][4]

Ally Detroit Center (Formerly One Detroit Center) is a skyscraper and class-A office building located downtown which overlooks the Detroit Financial District. Rising 619 feet (189 m), the 43-story tower is the tallest office building in Michigan, and the second tallest building overall in the state behind the central hotel tower of the Renaissance Center, located a few blocks away. Although the Penobscot Building has more floors (45 above-ground floors compared to 43), Ally Detroit Center's floors are taller, with its roof sitting roughly 60 feet (18 m) taller than Penobscot's. Its floor area is 1,674,708 sq ft (155,585.5 m2).

Architecture

Ally Detroit Center from Jefferson Avenue

The building was designed by noted architects John Burgee & Philip Johnson, partners influential in postmodern architecture.[5] Ally Detroit Center was constructed from 1991 to 1993. It houses numerous tenants, including many prominent Detroit law firms and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In addition to retail, the building also contains a restaurant and a gym.

The building is famous for its postmodern architectural design topped with Flemish-inspired neo-gothic spires which blend architecturally with the city's historic skyline.[5] It is constructed mainly of granite. Sometimes called a "twin gothic structure", for its pairs of spires, it is oriented North-South and East-West (as named on a plaque along the Windsor waterfront park). Ally Detroit Center won an Award of Excellence for its design in 1996. Ally Detroit Center replicas have become a souvenir item along with those of other Detroit skyscrapers.[6]

Project plans for twin tower, Two Detroit Center proposed directly east of the tower were placed indefinitely on hold.[7] Two Detroit Center parking garage was constructed on the site in 2002.[8]

Tenants

The law firm Dickinson Wright (formerly Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman) has its headquarters in Ally Detroit Center.[9][10] The company moved into the building when it opened in 1992.[11] In 2007 the company had almost 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of space in the building. That year it renewed its lease.[10] Additionally, the law firm of Clark Hill, PLC rents three floors in the building.

The building has been occupied by Comerica Bank. In efforts to expand its U.S. presence, the bank has engaged in a succession of takeovers in Texas, Florida, Arizona, and California. The bank's lease on Comerica Tower at Detroit Center ran through 2012.[12] Comerica is a major sponsor of Comerica Park, the home of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. In December 2009, tenant Comerica announced it would vacate Ally Detroit Center by 2012, consolidating its Michigan operations at 411 West Lafayette Boulevard.[13]

In March 2015, following the purchase of the building by Dan Gilbert, and Bedrock Real Estate Services, it was announced that Ally Financial will move its main office into the building from the nearby Renaissance Center as well as move all employees in suburban Detroit to the building, occupying 13 floors. The tower was renamed Ally Detroit Center.[14]

Gallery

  • View from Cadillac Square
    View from Cadillac Square
  • View from the Courtyard Marriott
    View from the Courtyard Marriott
  • One Detroit Center in the city skyline
    One Detroit Center in the city skyline

References

  1. ^ "Ally Detroit Center". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  2. ^ Ally Detroit Center at Emporis
  3. ^ "Ally Detroit Center". SkyscraperPage.
  4. ^ Ally Detroit Center at Structurae
  5. ^ a b Sharoff, Robert (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3270-6.
  6. ^ InFocusTech skyscrapers. Retrieved on July 16, 2009.
  7. ^ John Gallagher; Dick Rochan (27 October 1991). "Unbuilt Detroit". The Detroit Free Press Magazine. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  8. ^ Two Detroit Center Garage at Emporis
  9. ^ "Dickinson Wright gaming practice enters Europe with law firm agreement in Bulgaria." Crain's Detroit Business. November 12, 2013. Modified November 13, 2013. Retrieved on November 23, 2013. "Detroit-based law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC announced Tuesday a cooperation agreement with Velchev & Co., a law firm based in Sofia, Bulgaria."
  10. ^ a b "Dickinson Wright renews Ally Detroit Center lease." Crain's Detroit Business. December 3, 2007. Retrieved on November 23, 2013.
  11. ^ "Tenant Testimonials." (Archive) Ally Detroit Center. Retrieved on November 23, 2013.
  12. ^ Alejandro Bodipo-Memba (6 March 2007). "Comerica moving HQ to Dallas". The Detroit Free Press. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  13. ^ "Comerica Bank to Invest $18 Million in its Landmark 411 W. Lafayette Building". AllBusiness. 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  14. ^ Gallagher, John (31 March 2015). "Gilbert buys One Detroit Center, persuades Ally to move". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 1 April 2015.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to One Detroit Center.
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