DETROIT — On Monday, officials celebrated the construction of a $48 million complex at the site of the former Cadillac stamping plant on the east side of the city.

The site, called M3 Commerce Center, located along Gratiot Avenue and Conner, will be the location of Lear Corp. as it will manufacture seats for General Motors’ zero assembly plant in Detroit/Hamtrak when it opens in mid-2022 . The center is named after Gratiot, also known as M-3.

"We like Detroit's industrial market. We really like the direction of the city. Soon we will pour concrete... We will build a roof on the building with walls around it," Vice President Tim Conde (Tim Conder) The acquisition of NorthPoint Development, headquartered in Missouri, said at the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday. "This is a truly exciting time in Detroit. It represents NorthPoint Development and we are proud to be a part of it."

Kant and several officials held a ceremony at the scene to commemorate this moment. When the staff was working on the 43 acres of land, construction machinery rumbling at the site.  

Lear will occupy nearly two-thirds of the 684,000 square foot building and is expected to bring 450 jobs to the city. Nicole Sherard-Freeman, the city’s group director for employment, economics, and Detroit jobs, said it has signed an agreement with Detroit Jobs to provide Detroit people with access to job opportunities. First chance.

Frank Orsini, Lear's executive vice president and president of seating, said the company is committed to Detroit and looks forward to supporting GM's vision of bringing more electric vehicles to the market.

"We plan to create a facility that will become one of the most energy-efficient facilities in Lear's global manufacturing footprint," he said. 

Mayor Mike Duggan thanked NorthPoint Development for taking over the old stamping plant site. He said that he proposed this idea to the company three to four years ago. 

"With the help of the state government, with the help of the county, they can do this, and they will have the full support of the Detroit City Council," he said. "This brings us to a prepared website."

Dugan also thanked General Motors Chief Executive Mary Barra and General Motors President Mark Royce.

He said: "I can't say anything about what they mean to this city." "When they decided to build the future vehicles at the Zero Factory, they made another promise to Nicole and me. Each time they When choosing a parts supplier, they will call us first... so that we have the opportunity to promote a website to them... I am very happy to call Ray Scott, the CEO of Lear Corporation, and say,'I I have good news for you. By the way, I have a website for you.'"

Kevin Johnson, CEO of Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, said the development is an example of the agency's work in preparation for other construction sites.

"This project is at the core of what we want to do in Detroit, which makes this development attractive for new investments and new jobs for Detroit people," he said. "By putting more resources into contaminated sites and dilapidated properties and productive use, we are creating more inventory of shovel packages that Detroit needs in order to get more investment considerations."

The history of the stamping plant can be traced back to 1925, when it was built for the Hudson Motor Company. The plant was designed by Albert Kahn and transported the car bodies to the Hudson General Assembly Plant on Jefferson Avenue. General Motors purchased this factory in 1956 and used it to manufacture hoods, fenders and bumpers for Cadillac cars. Since the 1980s, most of the 915,655-square-foot factory has been vacant. The Ivan Doverspike company operated a limited business there until 2015.

This summer, the site received a Michigan State Renewal grant of $1 million through the Wayne County Brownfield Development Bureau to assist in the restoration of the site.

"A century of industrial and commercial operations at the Cadillac press plant has left a legacy of pollution," said Liesl Eichler Clark, director of EGLE, Michigan. "Just to name a few, potential sources include stamping and metal stamping, electroplating, dry cleaning, paint by-products, previous railway operations and coal storage. You can see that there are definitely things that need to be addressed."

Other incentives include the Detroit City Council approved a 12-year tax cut for the project in January. In December, the Michigan Strategic Fund Board of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved a $3.3 million brownfield tax credit.