(CBS DETROIT) — General Motors and real estate firm Bedrock announced Monday a development plan for the Renaissance Center and 27 acres along the Detroit Riverfront. 

The proposal calls for preserving Detroit’s skyline, right-sizing the complex’s footprint and connecting the site to “the heart of downtown.”

“This iconic landmark’s future is important to Detroit and Michigan, and our shared vision with General Motors ensures that its redevelopment aligns with Detroit’s economic advancement,” said Kofi Bonner, CEO of Bedrock. “Additionally, our collaborative approach makes certain that the reimagined Renaissance Center and the riverfront further augment and support the city’s continued growth, benefiting the community and region at large.”

GM and Bedrock propose: 

• Creating a new pedestrian promenade connecting the heart of the city to the riverfront.
• Removing the low-rise base of the complex and the two office towers nearest the river, creating an inviting destination and reducing obsolete office space.
• Redeveloping three towers into a mix of hospitality and housing, preserving the essence of the skyline.
• Turning reclaimed land into signature public spaces.
• Reconfiguring the flow of the site to allow direct access to the buildings and the riverfront. 

In April, the two companies announced an agreement that called for plans to redevelop the RenCen and have GM move its headquarters into a new space in 2025 at the site of the former J.L. Hudson Department Store in downtown Detroit. 

“GM has the best possible partner with Bedrock in this effort to redevelop the Renaissance Center,” said Dave Massaron, Vice President of Infrastructure and Corporate Citizenship for General Motors, in a release. “Nobody has repurposed more buildings in Detroit than Dan Gilbert and his Bedrock team. This is another chapter in their unprecedented commitment to building the best possible future for the city and Michigan.”

While Bedrock and GM have committed to funding a majority of the redevelopment project, the remainder is contingent on public funding. The two sides will meet with state and local leaders in the coming weeks and determine if it’s possible to move forward with the plan. 

“We’ve said since the very beginning of this process that we were going to make a realistic decision about preserving as much of the Renaissance Center as possible,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan in a statement. “Dan Gilbert’s vision gives us a path forward to preserve and reuse three of the towers and, at the same time, creates a beautiful expansion of public space on the Detroit riverfront. We will need a public-private partnership to get this done and avoid the decades of inaction that accompanied so many other Detroit landmarks, like Hudson’s, Michigan Central Station, AMC Headquarters, and the Packard Plant. I am grateful for Dan Gilbert’s leadership in trying to prevent that fate for the Renaissance Center.” 

The concept of the RenCen was first conceived by Henry Ford II in the 1970s and was opened in 1976. GM purchased the complex in 1996 and, following renovations, moved its world headquarters there. 

The Detroit People Mover is scheduled to be back in operation ahead of America’s Thanksgiving Parade.

The 2.9-mile elevated rail system, which had been on hiatus for scheduled track replacement since early September, will also be extending its hours permanently following the holiday, according to a news release.

That holiday schedule will include a nonstop stretch of more than 36 hours, beginning at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and ending at 7 p.m. Thursday. Trains are likely to be running on Monday and Tuesday, too, but won’t be carrying passengers, according to Ericka Alexander, a spokeswoman for the system.

Robert Cramer, general manager of the Detroit Transportation Corp., the entity that operates the system, said the track replacement work involved cutting and removing sections of rail before hoisting and welding the new pieces into place.

The process for doing the work and resuming regular service isn’t as simple as flipping a switch, he said, describing it as a “carefully orchestrated show.”

Officials had previously said almost 7,000 feet of rail — about 20% of the total — was being replaced as part of the $5 million maintenance project, the third such effort since the system began operations in 1987.

When regular service resumes on Friday, after the holiday, operating hours will be extended during the bulk of the week and on Sundays going forward.

Here’s the upcoming regular operating schedule:

• Monday-Friday: 6:30 a.m.-midnight
• Saturday: 10 a.m.-midnight
• Sunday: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Cramer said the later hours during the week (Monday through Thursday close had previously been 10:30 p.m., for instance) and half-hour earlier start time line up with feedback that had been gathered from riders and basically covers the extended hours that the system had been employing for many special events this year. The 6:30 a.m. weekday start time means that riders who need to be at work by 7 a.m. can also use the system in the morning.

The new operating hours can also be managed with current staffing, he said.

Asked if around-the-clock service could be an option in the future, Cramer noted that People Mover staff rely on the system’s downtime for maintenance and other work that needs to happen.

The People Mover remains free to ride, at least through the end of next year.

Upcoming People Mover events

• Wednesday 6-10 p.m. — The DPM Raid Train returns with a special DJ planned at the Broadway Station.
• Thursday 7-10 a.m. — A hot cocoa and hand-warmers event for the Thanksgiving Day crowd is scheduled for the Grand Circus Park Station.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

The Kansas CIty Chiefs and Detroit Lions are very different, and yet they’re the same.

Kansas City has continuously had to hold onto leads at the end of games, while Detroit has rolled one team after the next. And, yet, both are 10–1 and the No. 1 seed in their respective conferences.

Meanwhile, there was a change in the NFC playoff picture, with the Seattle Seahawks jumping into the No. 3 seed after beating the Arizona Cardinals, who went from that spot all the way out of the playoff picture with a single loss. 

Here’s how everything looks in both conferences, updated up to the second.

Additionally, all playoff probabilities are courtesy of The Athletic’s model.

AFC: WHO’S IN

Record: 10–1, first place, AFC West

Remaining opponents over .500: 4

Playoff probability: 99%

Kansas City was able to ward off the pesky Carolina Panthers on Sunday, giving it an AFC-best 10 wins. A short week is ahead for the Chiefs, who host the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday.

Record: 9–2, first place, AFC East

Remaining opponents over .500: 1

Playoff probability: 99%

The Bills had the week off. A big three-game stretch looms with the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions coming up in Orchard Park.

Record: 8–3, first place, AFC North

Remaining opponents over .500: 3

Playoff probability: 88%

After getting into the first-seed conversation, the Steelers lost in the snow to the Cleveland Browns. Next up, the Cincinnati Bengals, who are clinging to life at 4–7.

Record: 7–5, first place, AFC South

Remaining opponents over .500: 2

Playoff probability: 94%

After winning convincingly in Dallas on Monday night, Houston was upset by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. C.J. Stroud & Co. hold a two-game lead in the AFC South, but appear to be headed for the fourth seed.

Record: 7–3, second place, AFC West

Remaining opponents over .500: 4

Playoff probability: 91%

Los Angeles will try to stay in this spot with a victory Monday night over the Baltimore Ravens, while also opening a two-game lead in the loss column with a tiebreaker in hand.

Record: 7–4, second place, AFC North

Remaining opponents over .500: 4

Playoff probability: 95%

The Ravens have a chance to close the gap in the AFC North while also jumping the Chargers with a win at SoFi Stadium on Monday night.

Record: 7–5, third place, AFC West

Remaining opponents over .500: 2

Playoff probability: 60%

Denver took care of the Raiders in Las Vegas, giving it a second straight win before coming home to host the Browns on Monday night. The Broncos still have the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals on their schedule, easily their biggest games remaining. 

IN THE HUNT

Miami Dolphins (5–6): The Dolphins pummeled the New England Patriots on Sunday behind Tua Tagovailoa’s four touchdown passes. Miami will face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Thanksgiving Day.

Indianapolis Colts (5–7): Anthony Richardson struggled in a loss to the Detroit Lions. Despite being two games under .500, Indianapolis has a real shot at the playoffs with a soft schedule the rest of the way.

Cincinnati Bengals (4–7): Cincinnati likely needs to win out. That won’t be easy with two games remaining against the Steelers, starting with this weekend.

NFC: WHO’S IN

Record: 10–1, first place, NFC North

Remaining opponents over .500: 3

Playoff probability: 99%

The Lions appear to be the best team in football. Detroit took on a plucky Colts team and handled them with ease, allowing only six points. Still, there’s no breathing room with Detroit only a game up in the NFC North. 

Remaining opponents over .500: 3

Playoff probability: 99% 

The Eagles visit the Rams on Sunday night. We will update this space after the game.

Record: 6–5, first place, NFC West

Remaining opponents over .500: 3

Playoff probability: 21%

Seattle lost five of six before earning two huge divisional victories over the 49ers and Arizona Cardinals the past two weeks. With those wins, the Seahawks moved to the third seed, holding a tiebreaker over the Atlanta Falcons for the spot.

Remaining opponents over .500: 3

Playoff probability: 83%

Atlanta had its bye week, and comes out of the break facing the Chargers and Minnesota Vikings the next two weeks.

Record: 9–2, second place, NFC North

Remaining opponents over .500: 5

Playoff probability: 98%

The Vikings continue to be only one game back of the Lions in the NFC North, while remaining the top team in the NFC wild-card picture after a 30–27 overtime win over the Chicago Bears.

Record: 8–3, third place, NFC North

Remaining opponents over .500: 3

Playoff probability: 93%

Green Bay handled the injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers with ease, continuing to make a playoff push. The Packers now have a short week with Miami coming to Green Bay on Thursday.

Record: 7–5, second place, NFC East

Remaining opponents over .500: 2

Playoff probability: 72%

Freefall in Washington? The Commanders have now lost three consecutive games, with a defeat to the listless Dallas Cowboys being the worst of them all.

IN THE HUNT

Arizona Cardinals (6–5): Arizona went to Seattle and managed only six points. The Cardinals will try to rebound this upcoming weekend against the Vikings in Minnesota.

Los Angeles Rams (5–5): The Rams play host to the Eagles on Sunday night. We will update this space after the game.

San Francisco 49ers (5–6): This might be the end for San Francisco. The Niners are ravaged by injuries to Brandon Aiyuk, Nick Bosa, Brock Purdy and Trent Williams. Next up, Buffalo.