Ally Detroit Center
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox building
Ally Detroit Center, formerly One Detroit Center, is a skyscraper and class-A office building located in Downtown Detroit, overlooking the Detroit Financial District. Rising Template:Convert, 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 above ground (45), those of Ally Detroit Center are taller, with its roof sitting roughly Template:Convert taller than that of the Penobscot. It has a floor area of Template:Convert.
ArchitectureEdit
The building was designed by noted architects John Burgee and Philip Johnson, partners influential in postmodern architecture.<ref name=Sharoff>Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref name=Sharoff/> 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.<ref name=replicas>InFocusTech skyscrapers. Retrieved on July 16, 2009.</ref>
Project plans for a twin tower directly to the east, Two Detroit Center, were placed indefinitely on hold.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two Detroit Center parking garage was constructed on the site in 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
TenantsEdit
The law firm Dickinson Wright (formerly Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman) has its headquarters in Ally Detroit Center.<ref>"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."</ref><ref name=renewODC>"Dickinson Wright renews Ally Detroit Center lease." Crain's Detroit Business. December 3, 2007. Retrieved on November 23, 2013.</ref> The company moved into the building when it opened in 1992.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2007, when it renewed its lease, the company occupied almost Template:Convert of space in the building.<ref name=renewODC/> Additionally, the international law firm of Clark Hill, PLC operates its headquarters on three floors of the building.
The building was previously occupied by Comerica Bank. The bank's lease on then Comerica Tower at Detroit Center ran through 2012, and in December 2009, Comerica announced it would vacate One Detroit Center at the end of the lease, consolidating its Michigan operations at 411 West Lafayette Boulevard.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
In March 2015, following the purchase of the building by Dan Gilbert through his Bedrock Real Estate Services, Bedrock and Ally Financial announced a 12-year lease under which it would move its main office into the building from the nearby Renaissance Center as well consolidate all employees in suburban Detroit to the building, occupying 20 floors or approximately Template:Convert. The tower was renamed Ally Detroit Center.<ref name="Gallagher">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2015, a full service restaurant, Townhouse, opened in the first floor of the Ally Detroit Center, situated on the corner of Woodward and Congress.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2019, a Plum Market grocery store was opened in the first floor, with an entrance at the corner of Woodward and Larned.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
GalleryEdit
- ComericaTowerand1stnationaldetroit.jpg
View from Cadillac Square
- Courtyard by Marriott - Downtown Detroit.jpg
View from the Courtyard Marriott
- DowntownDetroit.jpg
One Detroit Center in the city skyline
ReferencesEdit
Further readingEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Portal Template:Sister project
Template:Downtown Detroit Template:Architecture of metropolitan Detroit Template:Authority control