The shuttered GM assembly plant in Janesville, Wisconsin is likely to be taken over by the City of Janesville and redeveloped into a residential zone after a brownfield development company failed to make use of the site following its initial acquisition in 2018.
The city is moving to condemn the former GM site, according to the report by WCLO Big Radio, which will enable the metropolitan government to force the property’s sale, though negotiations on price will apparently take place.
Janesville Demolition
The GM site, as well as the adjoining Jatco site, was acquired by Commercial Development Company, a privately held real estate concern operating out of St. Louis, Missouri. Following the acquisition, CDC demolished the GM factory buildings, but left their rubble covering the site. The total parcel size, including both General Motors and Jatco properties, is 240 acres.
Under the wreckage and old foundations, the site is also expected to be polluted, making it potentially eligible for a $20 million EPA cleanup grant in early 2025. The grant might not be enough to clean up the contamination, leaving whatever company agrees to redevelop the site with duplexes, condominiums, and parks with a hefty additional bill for removing the contaminants.
Kevin Lahner, a Janesville city manager, stated that he doesn’t “see a scenario right now where we wouldn’t end up with ownership of the properties.” The EPA is egging the city on to pursue the condemnation and redevelopment scheme, while signaling its readiness to provide the grant money. Jimsi Kuborn, a Janesville economic director, remarks that “we’re putting our best foot forward.”
The Janesville plant has been idle for 16 years, closing permanently in 2008 even before The General declared bankruptcy. The facility originally built full-size SUV models with the final vehicle to be produced there being a Chevy Tahoe that came off the assembly line on December 23rd, 2008. Other vehicles previously produced there include the Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon.
Comments
Sure there’s a huge demand for living in Wisconsin. Not.
You have obviously never been to Wisconsin. Shut your pie hole.
I wonder if the bar is still in the parking lot. Not likely since the plant is what kept it in business
What a waste and a poor idea for redeveloping the site.
Bar still there; I live in the area.
Good to hear. I’ve been there a few times — – but as a salaried visitor, ya had to stay away at lunch break time: They had a process, everyone had their usual seats….and time was of the essence….
The GM site and 7 parcels of land around the site will be condemned, in order to sell the site as a whole. The bar is under the condemned property list. For more information visit Janesville GM end of an era on Facebook.
Let’s not forget all the Impala’s and Caprice’s that were built there way before the trucks.
GM needs to rebuild the facility and provide good paying jobs in the USA
I worked next at Gilman . I also worked shutdowns there . I heard all the stories about the dumping of chemical that went on even before GM owned the site with Sampson tractor there before . Our city leader need to stop spending the taxpayers money like it’s theirs ! How about before putting the taxpayers butt on the line have a plan ; like an agreement with an energy company to put a solar field there , it’s already paved ! And you do not need to worry about contamination . Or move the fair grounds down there ! And then redevelop the fairground into residential housing .
I recall the plant also built the Chevy Cavalier. Also, isn’t this the old Samson tractor plant?
Seems like any pollution or contamination should fall back on “gm” since they initially had the plant there. An old refinery south of our small town was demolished years ago, but when they figured out that even the soil etc was contaminated & had to be removed, it fell to the current oil/gas company that had inherited the location from a buyout/merger way back when. Even when the trucks were removed the contaminated soil, you could smell odd smells as they went north to where they were headed.
I live here in Auckland New Zealand and used to own a 79 C10 Custom Deluxe Long bed truck built in Janesville always thought it would be good to visit the factory where my truck was built, sadly like Tarrytown New York they are just a memory!.
Don’t miss those cold winter days while visiting for service calls to maintain general assembly equipment in mid-January -30 was not easy to take. Although dinner @ Prime Quarters helped make the trip tolerable.
Don’t forget the Cadilac Cimmaron. I saw them building it.