Watch replay: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's final State of the City address

• Mayor Mike Duggan is expected to look back on Detroit's history since taking office in his final State of the City address.
• Duggan expects to touch on how a proposed redevelopment of the Renaissance Center will be critical to Detroit's future.
• The speech kicks off at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25.

Mayor Mike Duggan is set to deliver his last State of the City address, expecting to reflect on Detroit's grim history from the beginning of his tenure through its resurgence in his final year as the city's top leader.

Detroiters can expect the third-term mayor to look back and highlight the city's progress since taking office in 2014 — as the city was undergoing bankruptcy — and a glimpse into how the Renaissance Center could help reshape Detroit's future in his speech, Deputy Mayor Melia Howard said in a meeting with reporters. Duggan's speech kicks off Tuesday at 7 p.m. inside the new Hudson's site building.

"It's his 12th year, and this really is a time for him to give Detroiters a look back; to go, 'This is where we were in 2014, here we are in 2025,'" Howard said. "I think a lot of Detroiters will enjoy this chance to take a second and just stop and process all the great work we've done over the years."

Watch live at 6:30 p.m.: Mayor Duggan's State of the City

Can't see the video below? Watch here, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Howard emphasized Detroit's recovery is not only a result of those inside the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, but a reliance on community members who spearheaded initiatives across the city. City hall's connection with residents was crucial to advancing the city's progress, Howard added.

"When I go around the city, I'm so proud of all the work that myself and our community members have done to bring so much development and economic opportunities for Detroiters. And we wouldn't have been able to do that without the foresight of Mayor Duggan," Howard said.

Detroiters can expect Duggan to talk about the Renaissance Center's potential and how central it is to Detroit's future. General Motors and Dan Gilbert's Bedrock real estate firm proposed demolishing two towers, converting another into housing and redeveloping the site into entertainment and public space. The Detroit City Council considered a historic designation proposal to preserve the site, but eventually shot it down.

"GM controls over 20 acres on the riverfront, and most of it is under-utilized, and the mayor will talk at length about how to turn it into kind of a public asset that is there for Detroiters, and it's what Detroiters deserve. So I'm looking forward to hearing about that, and I know that all city residents are excited to hear about that opportunity," Howard said.

Detroit's next mayor

Multiple candidates are campaigning to be Detroit's next mayor as Duggan leaves office to pursue a run for Michigan governor as an independent candidate. But much is left to be done by the next mayor.

"The mayor will talk about the foundation he is leaving to help ensure the progress can continue and expand. So just remember how we got the city coming straight out of bankruptcy," Howard said.

The deputy mayor touted Duggan for delivering fiscal responsibility to the city with the cooperation of the city council. Duggan, on multiple occasions, pointed out that during his tenure, he has not vetoed a city council resolution.

"The next mayor will come in on a strong footing, and Mayor (Duggan) will talk about that. That's critical," Howard said. "But there is still a lot to be done. We always have things to still do."

Why Hudson's Detroit?

"I mean, it's iconic," Howard said about the site of Tuesday evening's speech.

The deputy mayor remembers watching the Hudson's building implosion on TV while her son was a baby, years after growing up and hitting the streets for "Downtown Detroit days," which she described as Christmas time in the summer of people shopping along Woodward Avenue in and around Hudson's.

"To see the building that we have now, second tallest building in the state, it's a beautiful building. I've only been in it once, and that was for the ribbon cutting," Howard said. "It's not a shopping plaza, but it's still going to have ground floor retail, and you'll still be able to experience the building."

Whether the community wants change, it has to happen, she added.

"This State of the City, Detroiters will have an opportunity to see and appreciate where we were in 2014 and where we are today. And the mayor wants to thank everyone that's helped us make all of this happen," Howard said.

Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.