Refurbished Landmark Reopens With State Offices

DETROIT-Cadillac Place, the former General Motors Corp. headquarters building andlandmark, is now operating as the city’s State of Michigan offices. The building now houses 16 state departments and agencies.

“This beautiful and historic building named after Detroit’s founder will mean ‘one-stop shopping’ for the many people who seek information and state services,” says Gov. John Engler.

The state administrative board approved the lease in 1999.

General Motors’ employees relocated to the new global headquarters in the five-tower Renaissance Center, now known as the General Motors Renaissance Center.

“To consider GM’s move to the Renaissance Center a success, we had to ensure the future of the New Center area – our home for nearly 80 years,” says Matt Cullen, general manager of the automotive firm’s enterprise activities group.

A elebration included a permanent display of a 1919 Cadillac, courtesy of General Motors, and the governor unveiled a special plaque commemorating the founder of the city of Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, for whom the building is named.

The unique architectural features of the building designed by noted architect Albert Kahn were preserved, while its 15 floors were renovated.

The 1.3-million-sf building will ultimately house as many as 2,500 state employees and replaces 13 leased office spaces totaling 246,000 sf, including the state-owned Michigan Plaza on 6th Street and the Labor Building on Woodward.

Penny Griffin, public information officer for the state department of management and budget, notes Cadillac Place has been through a $116-million renovation. She adds many Detroit-based state departments, including the Michigan gaming control board, the attorney general, the state Supreme Court, the secretary of state and consumer and industry services, have moved into the renovated building.

Other state department offices in Detroit, such as the Michigan state police, department of corrections and family independence agency, will stay in their current locations, she adds.

“We want them to keep their presence in their communities, these are departments that should stay close to the residents,” Griffin says.

The state is now working on how to market the buildings being vacated, Griffin adds. Under state law, her department will have to work on a plan to market and sell the property with the state legislature, and receive permission for how to sell the buildings.

“The legislature dictates how the state disseminates property and structures. When we have surplus property, we work with them to get property authority to sell it,” Griffin says.

The Labor Building is 508,000 sf, and the Plaza building is 242,000 sf, she says.