From Mlive.com.
Rendering of the Motown Museum’s future Rocket Plaza and 40,000 square foot building following a $55 million expansion. (Rendering provided by the Motown Museum)
DETROIT – We’re seeing more of what the future of Hitsville U.S.A. will look like. The Motown Museum has unveiled new renderings showing a 40,000 square foot space which will house interactive exhibits, a theater and more. It’s all part of the museum’s $55 million expansion.
The area will be built behind the iconic Hitsville U.S.A. building and nearby Motown-era homes. This is phase three of the expansion of the new museum campus. The expansion is not only expected to make the museum a bigger tourist attraction, but it will provide jobs and investments in the community.
“This new space will create jobs in our local community and drive additional tourism to Detroit and the State of Michigan as Motown fans from around the globe can interact with the Motown story through one-of-a-kind interactive experiences,” said Robin Terry, Motown Museum Chairwoman and CEO. “The expansion will allow us to share the often untold stories of those who helped build the Motown legacy and create memorable opportunities for fans to interact with their favorite artists in new ways.”
The team behind the design of the expansion, Perkins&Will, is also revealing more details on its vision for the 40,000 square foot building.
“As we’ve immersed ourselves in the history of Motown, the design evolved to tell an even more compelling story that the expanded museum will share with the world,” said Zena Howard, Principal and Global Cultural & Civic Practice Chair, Perkins&Will. “The gold exterior of the expansion is a celebration of the many Motown accomplishments. It provides an elegant backdrop to Hitsville USA, complementing a story of Motown’s humble beginnings and its world shaping impact. This design is a way of telling the Motown story through architecture.”
We’re also getting an update on where funding stands for the $55 million expansion. The campaign has reached $43 million towards its goal following an announcement of $5 million from Rocket Companies and the Gilbert Family Foundation.
Phase one of the expansion was recently finished. It includes a number of community-focused programs, workshops and events designed to mold and inspire future generations of artists and entrepreneurs.
Hittsville NEXT is headquartered within three historic, Motown-era buildings at 2654-2658 W. Grand Boulevard which were previously owned by Motown Records. Hitsville NEXT now features professional recording pods, a community activation space and programming for emerging talent. Programs include the spoken word competition Motown Mic, Amplify, a singing competition, The Lyric Project songwriting workshop and its Ignite and Spark summer camps.
Phase two is called Rocket Plaza. It will be a welcome destination for museum visitors. The plaza is inspired by the young Motown acts like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Supremes, The Temptations and The Four Tops, who would hang out in front of Motown’s headquarters.
The gathering space will feature a granite paver expanse surrounded by colorful flowers, lush plantings, park benches and a pop-up performance stage surrounded by a sound system playing Motown music. Hitsville NEXT and Rocket Plaza were designed by Detroit-based architectural firm Hamilton Anderson & Associates.