Detroit Regional Chamber Moving to New Space Overlooking Campus Martius Park

The Detroit Regional Chamber today announced it will relocate its headquarters to One Kennedy Square located at 777 Woodward Ave, from One Woodward Ave., at the end of its current lease this summer. One Kennedy Square overlooks Campus Martius Park and Cadillac Square.
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The Detroit Regional Chamber will relocate its headquarters to One Kennedy Square. // Courtesy of REDICO
The Detroit Regional Chamber will relocate its headquarters to One Kennedy Square. // Courtesy of REDICO

The Detroit Regional Chamber today announced it will relocate its headquarters to One Kennedy Square located at 777 Woodward Ave, from One Woodward Ave., at the end of its current lease this summer. One Kennedy Square overlooks Campus Martius Park and Cadillac Square.

The chamber, one of the largest such organizations of its kind in the country, made the decision to move to better provide for a hybrid workplace while remaining anchored in Detroit’s downtown core.

One Kennedy Square was designed by the late Ken Neumann of Neumann/Smith Architecture in Southfield and Detroit, opened in 2006, and is managed by REDICO Building Management in Southfield. The building is highlighted by an open courtyard, translucent emerald-green glass panels, and topped by a sphere that is illuminated at night.

“Downtown Detroit has, and continues to be, the catalyst for our entire region’s impressive progress this last decade,” says Sandy K. Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber. “Our team has enjoyed a front seat to this transformation, and we look forward to continuing to play our role and participate in the developments from our new vantage point of One Kennedy Square and Campus Martius Park.”

Preparing for the completion of a long-term lease with quickly evolving workstyles and employee needs, the chamber consulted design and architecture firm Harley Ellis Devereaux in Southfield to help optimize and modernize its space for a new hybrid office model.

Through site planning and discussion, the firm determined an updated footprint of approximately 18,500 square feet would best accommodate the chamber, while offering additional flexible, functional space for meetings and events.

The office space at One Kennedy Square will allow the full 83-member chamber team to work on one floor, a priority for the organization to encourage collaboration to meet the needs of members and the region.

The new location and layout also will offer continued access to some of the city, region, and state’s leading businesses, and facilitate member service and experiences.

One Kennedy Square offers 250,000 square feet of space across 10 floors of commercial space and three levels of underground floors that are used for parking and other needs. Tenants include E&Y, Walbridge, Central Michigan University, Charter One Bank, Starbucks, and Potbelly.

The chamber has worked at the historic One Woodward building since 1997, where it occupies 26,000 square feet of space across two floors. The building, designed by famed local architect Minoru Yamasaki, is managed by Bedrock in Detroit.

“REDICO is thrilled to welcome the Detroit Regional Chamber to One Kennedy Square,” says Dale Watchowski, president and CEO of REDICO. “We are honored to be serving the chamber, recognizing how much they have contributed to our region. Not only is the Detroit Regional Chamber one of the largest and oldest chambers, they are the most respected.”

REDICO will handle buildout construction in the new space, and Harley Ellis Devereaux will serve as the architect. Sam Munaco and Jim Berkemeier from Advocate Commercial Real Estate Advisors in Southfield represented the chamber, with REDICO representing the building ownership.