Celebrations mark historic Book Tower renovation after 7 years, $300M in Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit's historic Book Tower in downtown is ready to reopen after the seven-year, $300 million restoration project recently finished,

On Wednesday night the city marked the occasion with a party on Washington Boulevard celebrating the historic building's rehab from Bedrock Detroit.

There are five restaurants and a lobby area bar. Other offerings include a hotel, as well as apartment living with condos.

Completed in 1926, Book Tower was a landmark in the city and at one point, was the tallest building in Detroit. For a few years, it sat vacant with many unsure what would become of the landmark.

The Book family is among those that are excited at the building's rebirth.

"It's an amazing feeling and just to know that this is going to get reactivated and people are going to be able to come and use this old building that you know, once upon a time, we didn't know if it was going to live or not," said Randy Book, EVP Colliers International. "And thank goodness to Bedrock and his team of people. It's a reality today that we're all here living it.

"Now we all have to pitch in to make it happen because it doesn't happen with one person, it happens with the whole neighborhood."

Ivy Greaner, the COO of Bedrock Detroit, spoke about the accommodations offered.

"We have 269 residential units," she said. "We have 117 extended stay hotel units ... they're beautiful, they're like the apartments that have been all fixed up. We have a French restaurant that's opening shortly. We have a bakery, a Japanese restaurant, we have a lobby bar.

"We've got event space up on the 13th, 14th floor, as well as bar space up there. There is some retail, office, gyms, it has everything."

And to stay in touch with the history, there's also a museum in the newly renovated building that takes you through the family legacy.