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Londoners continue to dig themselves out from this week’s massive snowstorm. “It's been pretty brutal getting up every day and driving to work, and then we spend the first hour or so just cleaning off cars,” said Trevor Ebert, salesperson at Leavens Chrysler in east London. “We have seven salespeople here, and all of us getting out here, it takes us hours to clear off even just all the cars, not to mention moving things so that the plow can come through.” The north and east ends of the city were blasted with snow this week, and some parking lots have banks about six feet high. Just a few kilometres from Leaven’s, the London International Airport (YXU) has resumed normal operations. “Everything is clear, and you wouldn't really know, looking at the runways or some of the parking lots, other than the massive piles of snow that have accumulated, that we had the weather that we did,” said Scott McFadzean, YXU chief executive officer. “It's really just all hands-on deck around the clock with every single person in the airport working to help clear snow. We saw a few of the Air Canada Jazz connectors into Toronto got canceled as a result of the snow, but all of the sun destination flying continued and our WestJet to Calgary continued.” A year ago, the Argyle BIA Santa Claus Parade went off without any snow. This year, there was just too much. Bethany Mejia (left), executive director of the Argyle BIA and Rob Graham, chairman of the Argyle BIA, say the heavy snowfall forced the cancellation of the 10th annual Santa Claus parade on Dec. 7, 2024. (Brent Lale/CTV News London) “The snow drifts on Dundas are simply too high for spectators, and the parade routes on both exits were not cleared for snow,” said Bethany Mejia, executive director of the Argyle BIA. “We just thought due to the safety and concerns in the community, we will postpone the 10-year anniversary until next year and it'll be the best parade we've ever had.” One of the major problems was the staging area in the Home Depot parking lot could not hold the dozens of floats. Where they would normally stage three wide, they could only do one row. “The plows just can't keep up with the demand,” said Rob Graham, chairman of the Argyle BIA. “We're getting three months worth of snow in three days, so it really adds up. The schools have been canceled for two days straight. It’s not a decision that we had to take lightly, and I'm still wiping that tear away from my eye.” Santa Claus poses for a photo with Wesley Clark and his parents Matt Clark and Skyler Favalaro at Warehouse Guys in London, Ont. on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Brent Lale/CTV News London) However, the Argyle BIA didn’t leave the kids out in the cold. Warehouse Guys on Dundas St. hosted an autograph session with the London Knights, and they brought Santa to greet the kids in lieu of the parade. “We’re really trying to make something positive out of it,” said Chris Metron, owner of Warehouse Guys. “Having the London Knights fans all show up, this is still a great feeling. It’s a Christmas event and we have Santa here, so it's all good.” Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck was carried off on a stretcher with what seemed to be a severe ankle injury near the end of his team's loss to Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday. It leaves last season's Champions League runner-up without any fit central defenders. Schlotterbeck headed narrowly over the bar in the last action of the game as Dortmund lost 3-2 to Barcelona. He landed heavily and appeared to be in severe pain. The referee blew for full time while Schlotterbeck was being treated and he was later carried off on a stretcher, covering his face with his hands. Coach Nuri Sahin said Schlotterbeck was “obviously in low spirits” after the injury. “I'm waiting for the diagnosis and then we'll see, but I've watched the footage, too, and it doesn't look so good,” he told broadcaster DAZN. Dortmund already had to partner Schlotterbeck with midfielder Emre Can in the center of defense for the game because of injuries to Niklas Süle, who is expected to be out for several months with an ankle injury, and Waldemar Anton, who has not played since Nov. 30 with a reported muscle tear. Dortmund is sixth in the Bundesliga and plays Hoffenheim on Sunday before facing Wolfsburg on Dec. 22 in its last game before the winter break. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PARIS — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame Cathedral ’s heart from beating again. People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral on Nov. 29 in Paris. Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool via AP With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a specially designed crosier carved from fire-scorched beams, the monument roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a devastating blaze nearly destroyed it in 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer, and awe beneath its soaring arches. The ceremony, initially planned to begin on the forecourt, was moved entirely inside due to unusually fierce December winds sweeping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine. Yet the occasion lost none of its splendor. Inside the luminous nave, choirs sang psalms, and the cathedral’s mighty organ, silent for nearly five years, thundered to life in a triumphant interplay of melodies. The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. The evening’s celebration, attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, US first lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscored Notre Dame’s enduring role as both a spiritual and cultural beacon. Observers see the event as Macron's, and his intention to pivot it into a fully fledged diplomatic gathering, while highlighting France’s ability to unite on the global stage despite internal political crises. As the cathedral’s largest bell, the 13-ton Emmanuel — which was not named after the French leader — tolled into the Paris night, signaling the start of the ceremony, the crowd inside Notre Dame fell into an expectant hush. Emmanuel, a legacy of King Louis XIV, had rung through centuries of French history, and its peal now resonated as a call to witness another epochal moment. Outside the cathedral’s monumental doors, Ulrich raised his fire-scarred crosier. “Brothers and sisters, let us enter now into Notre Dame,” he declared. “It is she who accompanies us on our path to peace.” With the congregation of over 2,500 people watching in silence, Ulrich struck the floodlit doors, the base of his crosier reverberating against the wood. Inside, the choir answered with soaring hymns, their voices filling the nave. Illuminations on the cathedral facade heightened the drama. On the final strike, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the glowing interior of restored blond Lutetian limestone. Adding to the ceremony’s visual splendor, Ulrich and the clergy wore vibrant liturgical garments designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Known for his signature pop-art aesthetic, Castelbajac created 2,000 colorful pieces for 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval touches. Flooded with light and song, the cathedral came alive in a moment of breathtaking spectacle. What had been a silent, soot-blackened ruin five years ago now blazed with renewed vitality, marking the culmination of a nearly $1 billion global effort to resurrect it. Speaking inside the cathedral, Macron expressed “gratitude” Saturday to those who saved, helped, and rebuilt Notre Dame, his voice reverberating through the nave. People gather near France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, hours before formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, on Saturday in Paris. Bernat Armangue, Associated Press “I stand before you ... to express the gratitude of the French nation,” he said, before voices flooded the space with song, harmonies not heard in over five years. “Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame are ringing again. And in a moment, the organ will awaken,” sending the “music of hope” cascading through the luminous interior to Parisians, France, and the world beyond, he said. The celebration is expected to give a much-needed boost to the embattled French leader, whose prime minister was ousted this week, plunging the nation’s politics into more turmoil. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Macron has called Notre Dame’s reopening “a jolt of hope.” Observers say he hoped the occasion would briefly silence his critics and showcase France’s unity and resilience under his leadership — a rare moment of grace in a presidency now facing a grave crisis. Inside Notre Dame, 42,000 square meters of stonework—equivalent to six soccer pitches—gleamed anew, revealing intricate carvings and luminous limestone. Above, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” restored the cathedral’s iconic spire and roof. The great organ, dormant for over five years, roared back to life like a slumbering giant. With its 7,952 pipes—ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide—and a renovated console featuring five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30 foot pedals, it responded to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s command: “Wake up, organ, sacred instrument.” The first low rumble grew into a triumphant symphony as four organists pulled out the stops, weaving improvised responses to the archbishop’s invocations. Eight times, Ulrich addressed the organ; eight times, its voice filled the nave with breathtaking sound. Guests marveled at the spectacle, many capturing the moment on their phones. “It’s a sense of perfection,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, who last saw the cathedral cloaked in scaffolding in 2021. “It was somber then. Now, it’s night and day.” The Rev. Andriy Morkvas, a Ukrainian priest who leads the Volodymyr Le Grand church in Paris, reflected on his first visit to Notre Dame in over a decade. “I didn’t recognize it,” he said. “God is very powerful; He can change things.” He expressed hope that the cathedral’s revival could inspire peace in his homeland, drawing strength from the presence of Ukraine’s president. “I think that will have a big impact,” he said. “I hope Notre Dame and Mary will help us resolve this conflict.” The reopening of Notre Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ “It is a magnificent symbol of unity,” Olivier Ribadeau Dumas said. “Notre Dame is not just a French monument — it is a magnificent sign of hope.” The international range of dignitaries coming to Paris underline the cathedral’s significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace. Canadian visitor Noelle Alexandria, who had traveled to Paris for the reopening, was struck by the cathedral’s ability to inspire. “She’s been nearly ruined before, but she always comes back,” Alexandria said. “Not many of us could say the same after such tragedy, but Notre Dame can.” Guests entered through Notre Dame’s iconic western façade, whose arched portals adorned with biblical carvings were once a visual guide for medieval believers. Above the central Portal of the Last Judgment, the Archangel Michael is depicted weighing souls, as demons attempt to tip the scales. These stone figures, designed to inspire both awe and fear, set the stage for a ceremony steeped in history. Inside, the hum of hundreds of guests awaiting the service filled the cathedral with human sounds once more — a stark contrast to the construction din that echoed there for years. Tuners restoring the great organ often worked through the night to find the silence needed to perfect its 7,952 pipes, ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide. Notre Dame echoed to the sound of a sustained standing ovation after the showing of a short movie that documented the gargantuan rebuilding effort. Outside, the word “MERCI” — thank you — was projected against the cathedral’s iconic western facade. The movie showed the terrible wounds left by the inferno — the gaping holes torn into its vaulted ceilings and the burned roof. But that was followed by images of all types of artisans, many using traditional handicraft techniques, who collectively restored Notre Dame to look better now than ever. "We went from night to light," said one of the workers in the movie. Security will be high through the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year. The Île de la Cité — the small island in the River Seine that is home to Notre Dame and the historic heart of Paris— is closed to tourists and non-residents. Police vans and barriers blocked cobblestoned streets in a large perimeter around the island, while soldiers in thick body armor and sniffer dogs patrolled embankments. A special security detail followed Trump. For many, Notre Dame’s rebirth is not just a French achievement but a global one — after the reopening, the cathedral is set to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire. People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Friday Nov. 29 2024 before French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool via AP) Sarah Meyssonnier The tabernacle of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin The vaulted ceiling of the Notre-Dame cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP) Sarah Meyssonnier Windows in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin People stroll in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Christophe Petit Tesson French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and his wife Brigitte Macron visit the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Christophe Petit Tesson French President Emmanuel Macron, third right, and his wife Brigitte Macron visit the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Christophe Petit Tesson People gather as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the renovated Notre Dame Cathedral Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) Michel Euler French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he visits the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Christophe Petit Tesson The nave, the western Rose window and the organ of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin A man takes a picture of Notre Dame Cathedral as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the renovated cathedral, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) Michel Euler The nave of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin People stroll in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Christophe Petit Tesson The South Rose stainglass window of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin The nave of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin Part of the nave and the organ of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin The altar designed by French artist and designer Guillaume Bardet is seen in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin The altar designed by French artist and designer Guillaume Bardet is seen in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin The facade of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, is seen Friday Nov. 29, 2024, ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Stephane de Sakutin The facade of Notre-Dame Cathedral is seen in Paris, Friday Nov., 29 2024 ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Christophe Petit Tesson Part of the facade of Notre-Dame Cathedral is seen in Paris, Friday Nov., 29 2024 ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Christophe Petit Tesson People stand inside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Friday Nov. 29 2024 before French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool via AP) Sarah MeyssonnierSeveral Wounded North Korean Soldiers Died After Being Captured By Ukraine: Zelensky

AP News Summary at 3:38 p.m. ESTBaylor’s Norchad Omier was named the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week Monday. Omier turned in a couple of powerful performances in the Bears’ action at the Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas. He averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game as the Bears split games with St. John’s and Tennessee. Baylor Basketball (M): Highlights vs. St. John's | November 21, 2024 // via BaylorAthletics on YouTube Omier made the Baha Mar all-tournament team. The senior forward is the NCAA’s active leader in double-doubles, increasing that mark to 72 in the Bahamas. Omier transferred to Baylor from Miami over the offseason. Omier and the 17th-ranked Bears (4-2) will return to the court against New Orleans at 1 p.m. Wednesday from the Foster Pavilion. Be the first to knowDETROIT — The Renaissance Center would shrink to three towers with residential, office and hotel tenancy to create space for a six-acre riverfront park in a more than $1.6 billion redevelopment plan dependent on $250 million in state support that would make billionaire mortgage mogul Dan Gilbert's real estate firm shared owner of the complex with current owner General Motors Co. The proposal is a "right-sizing" of a half-century-old Detroit skyline icon for a new era of downtown living and work use, said Kofi Bonner, CEO of Bedrock Detroit LLC, Gilbert's real estate company. To finance the massive redevelopment project, GM and Bedrock are seeking $250 million in taxpayer subsidies from the state of Michigan and financial support from Detroit's Downtown Development Authority. About $100 million would be the right kind of support requested from the DDA, Bonner said, naming tax-increment financing as a potential funding source. Gilbert is contributing $1 billion in equity and debt, and GM is providing $250 million after having invested $1.5 billion into the building during its ownership. A new entity owning the site will reflect each party's contribution toward the redevelopment, said Dave Massaron, GM’s vice president of infrastructure and corporate citizenship. Questions around the future of Michigan's tallest skyscraper arose in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted workplace models, sent many to do their jobs remotely and increasingly moved consumers to shopping online. The matter was exacerbated when GM in April said it was relocating its headquarters to the Bedrock-owned Hudson’s Detroit development next year. The automaker committed to working with Bedrock to find a solution for the Ren Cen within a year. The five-tower, 5.5 million-square-foot structure would lose 1.25 million square feet from demolition of Towers 300 and 400 nearest the riverfront. The podium that consists of retail and showroom space on the ground floor around the towers would also be removed. The redevelopment, which would be contingent on approval of financial support from the state of Michigan, would happen in phases over years. Demolition could start within two years, Bonner said. "It's really a question of finding the right combination of that mix of uses because we see that that is indeed the winning formula for the repositioning of assets," Bonner told The Detroit News. "But we also wanted to make sure that we could open up the Ren Cen to both the waterfront, we have this incredible asset that the city and the region has in the riverwalk, and we are building on this incredible asset in the downtown area and the Ren Cen and has effectively walled itself off over for decades. So a combination of opening up to the riverfront, opening up to downtown and reprogramming the building, the uses into a mix of residential, hotel, hopefully signature waterfront, event and dining experiences. That was our north star." The central tower would remain along with Towers 100 and 200, the two facing Jefferson Avenue. Towers 300 and 400 would be demolished to make room for the park that would connect to the Detroit Riverwalk. The park would seek to be something akin to Chicago's Navy Pier or the area around the O2 Arena in London's South Greenwich neighborhood with entertainment, dining and sightseeing attractions. The central tower, home to a Marriott International Inc. hotel, would continue to be a hotel but decrease to around 850 rooms from about 1,200 today. The top floors would be remodeled to create 200 high-end family apartments, Bonner said. One of the remaining adjacent towers would convert to residential apartments with 300 to 400 units, the details of which are yet to be determined. The other tower also would be remodeled but still serve as office space, according to Bedrock. "One of the towers, we believe we can modernize and retain as an office building in light of everything else we're doing in the immediate vicinity," Bonner said. "We feel that it'd be much more attractive, bring more amenities, perhaps inside and certainly in and around it, which is what we see the office market looking for." The estimated $1.6 billion redevelopment cost includes the reimagined public walkway, public park, conference center, the new hotel, two office towers and the multi-family tower, Bonner said, adding the project would need "a few more dollars" for the entertainment piece. The plan was met with some skepticism from one local real estate expert and a political leader who panned the idea of taxpayers helping foot the bill. Jim Becker, managing director of the Detroit office of Avison Young, a global commercial real estate firm, said razing the two skyscrapers facing the riverfront eliminates some of the best views of the riverfront, Belle Isle, the Ambassador Bridge and Windsor, Ontario. "I think the return on investment could be challenging — spending a billion dollars to create open space," Becker said. "... It’s hard to see how tearing down two-fifths of the infrastructure there is going to get a return. Optically, it’s just kind of strange to see the two towers on the city side." House Republican Leader Matt Hall, a Richland Township Republican who will lead the House as speaker in January, was not amenable to the idea of taxpayer dollars going toward the rehabilitation of the RenCen, noting GM’s decision to move many jobs out of Detroit as well as recent layoffs at its Tech Center in Warren. “How insulting is it to the taxpayers that these guys say, ‘We’re leaving Detroit and we want you guys to pay to tear down the building on the way out?’” Hall said. “That is insulting.” Earlier this month, state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, expressed concerns about the effect a RenCen demolition would have on the Detroit skyline. He still has those concerns, but is interested in what GM is proposing for the location. “I’d have to take a look at it and see where we are,” Carter said Monday. “That is as iconic to the city as the Spirit of Detroit and the Joe Louis Fist (statues).” The $250 million state incentive being requested is a “substantial amount of money,” a sum that will require careful deliberation, Carter said. “What is the benefit to it?” he asked. “I think there may be some pushback on that side of it.” 'The riverfront is our home' Massaron said more than a decade ago, GM started to investigate how to create a headquarters that worked for its workforce and what to do with the Renaissance Center. Before the pandemic, GM and its contractors had as many as 4,000 employees housed in the RenCen. As of a year ago, GM's official headcount at the RenCen was about 1,300. “We hired architects, we hired contractors, we hired consultants, and we looked at different possibilities,” Massaron said. “We explored many options on our own, including the sale of the asset. That received significant interest. But Detroit and Michigan are our home, and those potential sales of assets would not have preserved the icon that is the skyline of Detroit.” Additionally, selling the asset wouldn’t ensure its future success, which GM wants, especially after spending more than $1.5 billion to make it more functional and with its commitment to the development of the riverfront. “The riverfront is our home, and we think it needs to take the next step, and this building is a key part of that,” Massaron said. Earlier this year, southeast Michigan and parts of central Michigan were ranked as the metropolitan area with the nation’s highest office vacancy rate at 25% . GM is still working on the buildout of its space at the Hudson’s Detroit building. Massaron expects to be occupying it “at least” by January 2026, if not earlier. GM previously planned to occupy two floors but is now planning to double that. “But that's an in-progress thing based on construction, availability of resources, and candidly, Bedrock has got an incredibly beautiful and complicated project they also have to finish,” Massaron told The News. “So, collectively, we'll be in that building very soon.” As the Hudson's Detroit anchor tenant, GM, for 15 years, will lease floors in the 12-story mixed-use office, retail and event-space building adjacent to the 685.4-foot-tall tower that will have a hotel and residential housing. GM's logo is expected to appear on top of the Woodward Avenue building. There also will be a public showroom for GM on the ground floor. Construction on the Renaissance Center began in 1973 under the vision of Henry Ford II in partnership with 26 other business leaders in an effort to encourage building activity in Detroit in the aftermath of the 1967 Detroit uprising. The $350 million project (roughly $1.7 billion today) was the country’s largest privately funded real estate development at the time. Upon opening in 1977, the center hotel tower was the largest in the world. GM bought the riverfront skyscraper complex in 1996 for $73 million (about $142 million today) from crosstown rival Ford Motor Co., and Barra said the company has since invested more than $1 billion for its global headquarters. GM moved from Cadillac Place in the New Center district, though its home before that was on Woodward. In 2008 leading up to its bankruptcy, General Motors Corp. explored the possibility of a sale-leaseback for the RenCen, but it didn't have any takers. For a while, GM has been looking to unload the more than 5.5 million-square-foot, seven-tower complex. Crain's Detroit Business previously reported Gilbert's Bedrock and GM had been in discussions in the fall of 2018 about a sale of the site; they fell apart because of costly renovations, including an overhaul of the heating, venting and air conditioning system. Towers 500 and 600 were added in 1981, and a third phase that was supposed to include residential housing never came to fruition as Detroit's population continued to decline. Farmington Hills-based Friedman Real Estate in December purchased the 500 and 600 towers in downtown Detroit from Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., a New Jersey energy company. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has a long-term lease for the 500 River East Tower. ©2024 www.detroitnews.com . Visit at detroitnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.