The next evolution in the Motor City’s luxury hospitality transformation is well underway on the riverfront, with the construction of the JW Marriott Detroit Water Square on track for completion in 2027. The 25-story development, located on the former Joe Louis Arena site, will be the city’s first hotel that connects to the adjacent Huntington Place convention center via a third-floor skybridge.
Boasting 601 guest rooms, including 44 suites, and more than 53,000 square feet of meeting and event space, Water Square takes advantage of its location with soaring floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, providing views of the Detroit River, the Ambassador and Gordie Howe bridges, and the city skyline.
Water Square will offer multiple dining and drink options, including The Veranda, offering all-day local fare, and the 200-seat Andiamo Italian Chophouse. Guests can enjoy cocktails and small bites at The Assembly, which has both indoor and covered outdoor seating. Andiamo Italian Chophouse is scheduled to open in 2027, while its RenCen location — Andiamo Detroit Riverfront — is slated to close in November.
Amenities — like a 10,500-square-foot full-service spa, complete with nine treatment rooms and a sauna, cold plunge, and whirlpool — are exclusive to hotel guests. A fitness center will offer 24-hour access to free weights, cardio equipment, and a 50-foot lap pool, as well as instructor-led health classes. And for those who prefer to get their exercise outdoors, the Riverwalk, located just outside the Water Square doors, has 5.5 miles of nearly unobstructed walking and biking paths.
The addition of Water Square will provide a much-needed boost to downtown Detroit’s lodging capacity, which Visit Detroit hopes will also help attract larger-scale events.
“Huntington Place is the 16th largest convention center in the country, with the capability and versatility to host those events,” Visit Detroit’s president and CEO, Claude Molinari, said in a statement to Hour Detroit. He added that the hotel “was always the missing piece” and “will elevate the economic impact of tourism to downtown Detroit for years to come.”
Another key development related to the Water Square project is the extension of Second Avenue, which will connect Congress Street to the riverfront. Construction on the $103.9 million roadway is being funded by the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority and will offer improved access for pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists. The extension is slated for completion by summer.
This story originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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