Posts

Rochester Hills Robotics Company Plans $86 Million Expansion

Fanuc, the Rochester Hills-based manufacturer of robotics, is planning an $86 million expansion. Within the last week, they’ve purchased the former Thomas M. Colley Law School campus for $18 million.  The purchase included the former law school building and an adjacent 67 acres. The company is planning a 655,000-square-foot plant on the acreage. The company currently employs 1,200 in Michigan; this expansion will add another 100 workers. The new purchase follows on the heels of the company’s 461,000-square-foot North Campus in Auburn Hills in October 2019.

 

Ross Snags $100 Million for DCI Project

Stephen Ross has acquired a $100 million in the state’s next budget for The Detroit Center for Innovation.  The Detroit native is the developer of the project. He previously committed to donating $100 million for the center to be built. With the budget deal being finalized, the center will have $200 million of its predicted $250 million price tag. Ross’ company will construct the center and donate it to the University of Michigan. The 200,000-square-foot building will be part of a three-building campus located on Ilitch-owned land and parking lots west of the Fox Theatre in Detroit.

Packard Plant Owner Misses Demo Permit Deadline

Fernando Palazuelo, owner of the Packard Plant, missed a court deadline on Thursday. He needed to apply for a demolition permit to allow the city of Detroit to demo the property and bill him for it. The city is considering its next steps. Wayne County Circuit Judge Brian Sullivan declared the Packard Plant a public nuisance on March 31 and ordered Palazuelo’s company Arte Express Detroit to apply for a demo permit within 21 days. The judge’s order allowed the city to hire contractors to proceed with the demo work at Palazuelo’s expense if deadlines were missed.

Judge Orders Packard Plant Demolition

A Wayne County Circuit Judge has ordered the Packard Plant owner Fernando Palazuelo to immediately demolish the deteriorating industrial site and foot the cost of the demolition after missing a trial date. The Peruvian developer and his attorney missed a March 24 trial date. The structures that sit on two 2-acre sites are dangerous and threaten the public’s welfare. The demolition could cost millions of dollars and has been ordered to begin by early June. It’s required to be completed by the end of June. Palazuelo has until April 21 to pull permits for demolition of his portions of the plant.

 

Old GM Stamping Plant Site Purchased By Real Estate Developer

Franklin Partners has purchased the old GM stamping plant site in Wyoming. The real estate development firm plans to use the 74-acre site for industrial development. The manufacturing plants will range in size from 150,000 to 1 million square feet.  They purchased the site from the city of Wyoming for $5.25 million. According to Wyoming City Manager, Curtis Holt, the property has tremendous potential for manufacturers.