Project Overview

At the intersection of Detroit, Mich.’s historic and entertainment districts sits Huntington Bank Tower, a transformative structure that helps redefine the Motor City’s skyline while providing tenants with a resilient, modern office space designed for the future. The project involved converting a former brownfield site into a 21-story, 480,000-ft2 mixed-use office and parking structure. From the outset, the design of Huntington Bank Tower focused on blending historical context with modern functionality—all with a strong corporate presence. Early in the design process, the project team selected precast concrete as the material of choice to best connect with the city’s historic architecture while supporting future-proof building performance. International Precast Solutions LLC, working alongside Neumann/Smith Architecture and Desai Nasr Consulting Engineers, specified the production and installation of nearly 500 pieces of precast concrete for the tower, including cladding panels, insulated walls, spandrels, and shear walls.

Precast Concrete for the People

Due to the tight nature of the downtown project site, the team encountered several design and construction challenges, including narrow dimensions, proximity to historic structures, and the need to coordinate with existing city infrastructure. According to Jim Stock, design director at Neumann/Smith Architecture, precast concrete helped address these concerns. “Precast concrete panels proved essential in addressing these constraints, as each panel could be lifted directly from the trailer, positioned precisely, and installed without the need for additional staging or trades,” he says. “This streamlined approach minimized site disruption while accelerating the enclosure process and maintaining a high level of craftsmanship.”

The building’s envelope and systems were carefully selected for both environmental performance and visual integration. The exterior features a coordinated combination of precast concrete and high-performance curtainwall systems. Each precast concrete panel was inspired by the limestone, sandstone, and terra-cotta surfaces of adjacent buildings in the neighborhood, with its scale, rhythm, and color reflecting the surrounding context.
“Panels were selected to establish a strong dialogue with the surrounding architectural context,” Stock says. “Drawing inspiration from nearby façades, the panels were custom designed to capture the color, variation, texture, and detail of these historic materials—honoring the character of downtown while introducing a contemporary interpretation.”

Sustainability and wellness were also integral to the design. Although the project did not pursue formal U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification, it was designed to meet LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction: Core and Shell standards. Strategies adopted and implemented by the team included sensitive land protection, access to quality transit, a reduced parking footprint, optimized energy performance, and more. Additionally, an environmental study conducted for Huntington Bank Tower confirmed that the building performs better than baseline energy standards in multiple categories, such as lighting, heating, cooling, pumps, fans, and overall utilities. Sustainable approaches and material use began even before construction did, with the team carefully deconstructing the former on-site building and implementing a detailed waste management plan in preparation for the new tower.

Huntington Bank Tower establishes a strong civic presence in Detroit, with an articulated base featuring full-height storefront glazing, wide cornices, and inviting entrances that encourage pedestrian engagement—all thanks to the versatility of precast concrete.

“Situated within Detroit’s historic and entertainment districts, the Huntington Bank Tower introduces a bold, yet contextually responsive addition to the city’s evolving skyline,” says Joel Smith, president of Neumann/Smith Architecture. “This high-profile urban site offered a unique opportunity to bridge past and future—pairing a refined, modern tower design with material choices that resonate with the surrounding architectural heritage.”

Key Project Attributes

• The Huntington Bank Tower converts a former brownfield site into a 21-story, 480,000-ft2 mixed-use office and parking structure.
• The building’s design seamlessly blends the architectural heritage of neighboring structures with a resilient, attractive design that’s built for the future.
• Although the project did not pursue LEED certification, it incorporated a range of sustainable strategies, including sensitive land protection, access to quality transit, a reduced parking footprint, and more.

Project/Precast Scope

• International Precast Solutions manufactured nearly 500 precast concrete products for the project, including cladding panels, insulated walls, spandrels, and shear walls.
• Selecting precast concrete helped address constraints presented by a tight construction site in downtown Detroit, Mich.
• Each installed precast concrete panel was custom designed to capture the color, variation, texture, and detail of surrounding historical structures, which feature limestone, sandstone, and terra cotta.