RACER Trust, the firm that manages the historic 5-million square-foot Willow Run assembly plant in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan may motion to have the facility demolished, aside from a 175,000-square-foot section that could be reserved for the Yankee Air Museum across the street, according to The Detroit Free Press. The facility once built transmissions for General Motors, lasting only year after the bankruptcy.
In order for the Yankee Air Museum to secure the space, it must raise $6 million in funds for the transaction, which currently holds a deadline of August 1st. Meanwhile, the fate of the rest of the facility seems to be sealed, as RACER has not been satisfied with the response the facility’s had on the market. The 332-acre property has been marketed as an opportunity for aerospace, defense, port logistics and manufacturing, but so far the only a 23,000-square-foot portion has been sold to an aircraft maintenance firm, which plans to add 25 jobs. One of the biggest drawbacks of the facility is that it’s far from modern, with even wooden blocks making up portions of the floor.
Before General Motors purchased the plant in the 1950s, it was originally built by Henry Ford to make B-24 bombers during World War II and later sold to GM, but has been empty since GM closed it in December 2010.
Comments
Any some here were worried?
It is farther along and closer than you think.
The real question is the CTS as I expect it to get the green light if ATS coupe sales are at least 25%. Other wise I would look to the LTS for a larger coupe. GM has dropped many hints on this one. Some plain as day as the glamour concept.
wrong topic for above we need an edit option.
Plant 17 in Pontiac is going with in days too but no body noticed here. This was a very important plant to Pontiac and build many cars up to the Fiero.
Kinda sad, so much history in that plant. Remember as a kid seeing photos of all those B-24’s lined up during assembly, amazing!! We should all be proud.
Spent 30 years there working, Had alot of good times. shame to see it close. And now be demolished. There were alot of good people that worked there for GM. But the plant got to big and old for what little people that were left in the end .
It would be wonderful if Yankee Air Museum were able to purchase a section of the plant to preserve its history as the Arsenal of Democracy.
The effort to preserve a portion of the Willow Run Plant as a new home for the Yankee Air Museum is now up and running. This project is explained at http://www.savethebomberplant.org where it is also possible to contribute.