Contents

Ally Detroit Center

Ally Detroit Center
The building in 2022
Former names	One Detroit Center (1993–2015)
Alternative names	Comerica Tower 500 Woodward Avenue
General information
Status	Completed
Type	Commercial offices
Architectural style	Postmodern
Location	500 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates	42°19′48″N 83°02′42″W / 42.330°N 83.045°W / 42.330; -83.045
Construction started	1991
Completed	1993
Owner	Bedrock Detroit
Height
Antenna spire	188.7 m (619 ft)
Roof	184.9 m (607 ft)
Top floor	176.2 m (578 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	43 2 below ground
Floor area	1,674,700 sq ft (155,580 m2)
Lifts/elevators	22
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Philip Johnson John Burgee
Developer	Hines Interests
Main contractor	Walbridge Aldinger Company
References
[1][2][3][4]

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 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 above ground (45), those of Ally Detroit Center are taller, with its roof sitting roughly 60 feet (18 m) taller than that of the Penobscot. It has a floor area of 1,674,708 sq ft (155,585.5 m²).

Architecture[edit]

The building was designed by noted architects John Burgee and 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 a twin tower directly to the east, Two Detroit Center, were placed indefinitely on hold.^[7] Two Detroit Center parking garage was constructed on the site in 2002.^[8]

Tenants[edit]

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, when it renewed its lease, the company occupied almost 100,000 square feet (9,300 m²) of space in the building.^[10] 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.^[12][13]

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 321,000 square feet (29,800 m²). The tower was renamed Ally Detroit Center.^[14][15]

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.^[16] In 2019, a Plum Market grocery store was opened in the first floor, with an entrance at the corner of Woodward and Larned.^[17][18]

Gallery[edit]

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

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Hill, Eric J. & John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-3120-0.
• Meyer, Katherine Mattingly & Martin C.P. McElroy (1980). Detroit Architecture A.I.A. Guide. Introduction by W. Hawkins Ferry, Hon A.I.A. (Revised ed.). Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-1651-1.
• Sharoff, Robert (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-3270-2.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to One Detroit Center.

• One Detroit Center website