DETROIT (WWJ) - New renderings of the 40,000 square foot museum campus currently under construction at Hitsville U.S.A. were revealed to the public on Tuesday, officials announced.
According to the Motown Museum, the new space built around the famous home at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit will house interactive exhibits, the Ford Motor Company Theater, an expanded retail experience and more.
New renderings depicting the third and final phase of the museum's highly anticipated expansion gives the community a "fresh look" at the historic area.
“After a successful event to welcome guests back to the museum and celebrate the completion of phases one and two of our expansion, we are thrilled to share the new renderings for our third and final expansion phase,” said Robin Terry, Motown Museum Chairwoman and CEO.
According to Terry, the $55 million project will "serve as an important catalyst" to the local neighborhood by bringing jobs, sustainability, community pride and tourism to Detroit and the state of Michigan.
“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," Terry added.
The museum reached a "funding milestone" last month, officials said, with a whopping $43 million raised after Rocket Companies and the Gilbert Family Foundation gave $5 million for the project.
The expansion design is being headed by North Carolina-based global architecture and design firm, Perkins&Will.
“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," Howard added.
Officials said the recently completed first phase of the expansion named Hitsville NEXT features professional recording pods, community activation space and premier programming to foster emerging talent.
Hitsville NEXT will feature programs such as a spoken word competition Motown Mic, Amplify, a singing competition, The Lyric Project songwriting workshop and its Ignite and Spark summer camps.
Authorities said the second phase, named Rocket Plaza, will "inspire joy and creative collaboration" as regular performances by local talent will meet museum guests as well as create opportunities for up and coming entrepreneurs.
"Inspired by a time when young Motown acts like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops and so many others, would hang out in front of Motown’s headquarters, the plaza will serve as the ultimate Motown-inspired community gathering space," officials said.
"Museum visitors arrive at a beautifully lit granite paver expanse, surrounded by colorful flowers, lush plantings, park benches and a pop-up performance stage surrounded by a sound system playing their favorite Motown hits."
The museum said Hitsville NEXT and Rocket Plaza were designed by Detroit-based architectural firm Hamilton Anderson & Associates.