By Rev. Horace L. Sheffield, III — Pastor, New Destiny Church
As someone who plans to begin limiting my civic engagement, I want to make one final contribution to an important conversation about the future of Detroit before I do.
That conversation is about the future of the Renaissance Center. I support General Motors and Bedrock’s proposal to redesign, re-envision, and reimagine the Renaissance Center, and I believe Detroit should give serious consideration to approving the proposal.
I say that with a deep appreciation for what the Renaissance Center has represented throughout my lifetime. When the complex was built under the leadership of Henry Ford II, it represented something complicated. To me, it symbolized both the good and the bad – a fresh start for a city searching for renewal, but also a new form of isolation rather than the segregation we had known before.
History gives us many things whose meaning we cannot change. The Renaissance Center is different. We have an opportunity to influence what this landmark represents in the future. We can help make the RenCen a symbol not of isolation, but of a sustainable Detroit Renaissance.
We Cannot Let the RenCen Become a Ruin
The Renaissance Center is one of Detroit’s most recognizable images. It is part of the city’s postcard, skyline, and identity. We cannot allow it to become another Packard Plant—a monument to what Detroit once was rather than a place that helps define what Detroit can become.
The Renaissance Center has to change if it is going to survive. But change does not have to mean abandoning Detroit’s history. It can mean preserving what is worth preserving while
correcting what never worked. The iconic skyline can remain while the property takes on a new purpose. For too long, the Renaissance Center has functioned as a confusing fortress. Detroiters know it. Visitors experience it. The riverfront should not feel separated from the city it represents.
The Bedrock proposal offers an opportunity to address those mistakes.
By opening the complex and making it more inviting, accessible, and inclusive – including through new affordable housing—we can begin to reconnect the RenCen with Detroit and with Detroiters.
Turning Parking Lots into a Destination
Another important part of the proposal is the transformation of approximately 35 acres of empty surface parking lots into a family-friendly entertainment district. That is the kind of opportunity Detroit should embrace.
Our city deserves the kinds of experiences and attractions that residents and visitors find in other major American cities. Chicago’s Navy Pier is one example of how a waterfront can become a destination for families, residents, and visitors.
Detroit should be able to create its own version of that experience—one rooted in our own history, culture, architecture, music, food, and character. Our riverfront is one of our greatest assets. We should continue finding ways to make it more accessible and create more opportunities for people to gather, celebrate, and experience the best of Detroit.
The Incentives Deserve a Factual Discussion
There has understandably been discussion about the proposed incentives, and that discussion should continue. But the facts matter.
According to the City’s analysis, this development is not being undertaken as a profit-making venture. Under the proposed structure, the city is projected to receive approximately $300 million in new tax revenue.
That figure deserves to be considered in the broader context of what Detroit is trying to accomplish. A nonprofit development structure involving Bedrock and GM, coupled with projected new tax revenue for the city, represents an opportunity to transform one of Detroit’s most recognizable landmarks while creating a new economic and civic purpose for the property.
This is not simply about a building. It is about what kind of city Detroit wants to be. The Renaissance Center has already played an important role in Detroit’s story. Now we have an opportunity to determine what role it will play in the next chapter.
We should not be afraid of change simply because the building is iconic. We should ask whether we can preserve its importance while making it more open, useful, welcoming, and connected to the city around it.
I believe we can. And I believe this opportunity deserves our support. Detroit has a chance to do more than preserve the Renaissance Center. We have a chance to redefine what it represents for generations to come.
Rev. Horace L. Sheffield, III
Pastor, New Destiny Church
3rd Generation Detroiter
