Editorial: Demolition of Willow Run plant will reveal potential of property
The GM Willow Run power train plant.
File Photo | AnnArbor.com
The answer, according to its liquidators: There isn't one.
The Willow Run Powertrain plant in Ypsilanti Township has been listed for sale by the RACER Trust, which is disposing of all former GM properties not protected in the automaker’s bankruptcy.
The facility itself is massive. It covers 4.6 million square feet, or 83 acres. The average thickness of concrete flooring is 12 inches. The monthly utility bills top $15,000. Just replacing the roof would cost millions, and so far the trust has invested $15 million in upkeep of the vacant building.
The age and size of the building make it functionally obsolete for today’s market for manufacturing facilities. Most prospective buyers, according to RACER, wanted to acquire the property for its scrapping value.
Yet a list of the property’s attributes conveys value and potential: There’s the data capacity; the dedicated power source backup; the 300 acres of industrial zoning; the access to highway, airport and rail transportation; the location near Metro Detroit manufacturing and Ann Arbor-area R&D. It’s also close to the University of Michigan and its research, and near an international border crossing at Windsor.
Ypsilanti Township want proceeds from the sale of the former GM Plant's scrap materials to go toward redevelopment of the property.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
Those reasons combine to prompt Bruce Rasher, redevelopment manager of RACER Trust, to say describe the property as “the jewel in the crown” of the trust’s former GM listings.
As the trust proceeds with the task of liquidating the unused buildings from the GM portfolio — a total of 89 buildings comprising about 44 million square feet, located in 14 states — it’s now moving forward with demolition of the Willow Run factory. By early August, bids will be awarded.
That decision makes the property more marketable as vacant land, and gives the community hope that redevelopment will follow. This is a positive step.
At the same time, environmental cleanup remains an issue. RACER continues to work on a remediation plan, which also is essential to making the site marketable for redevelopment.
At least $35 million was budgeted for the cleanup of contaminants, which includes 4.1 million gallons of chemicals and solvents contaminating the groundwater beneath the building.
A glimpse from above of the Yankee Museum.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
This is a site that, when maximized, could once again become one of the region’s top economic drivers. It should be home to jobs and business opportunity. It’s a place where redevelopment should signify strong potential for turning still more abandoned urban and suburban manufacturing sites into productive work sites.
The building demolition will take Racer and the community one step closer to realizing that vision.
Even as we support the demolition, we do have to add one asterisk: A portion of the property is under contract to the Yankee Air Museum, which has until Aug. 1 to raise funds to obtain a portion of the plant.
YAM seeks to purchase a portion of the former Willow Run bomber plant, which produced the B-24 Liberators during World War II.
Organizers say it’s a part of history that their mission drives them to preserve.
They need $6 million, and raised $3.3 million by late last week.
“Time is short, the fundraising goal ambitious, and the stakes high,” organizers said.
This is a group that saved part of its collection when fire tore through a former building - members raced into the burning structure to move the historic aircraft to safety.
There’s no risk to life and limb with this endeavor, but the museum’s advocates make a strong case that history is at stake.
We salute this effort and wish them well.
Comments
Jeannette Gutierrez
Wed, Jul 24, 2013 : 1:06 a.m.
Yes, Yankee will need the help of those with deep pockets to make their vision happen, but it's the support of everyday people in the community that attracts the big guys, so it's community backing that ultimately really counts. There's been tremendous support in the community, and the positive comments and media coverage, including annarbor.com, and the donations, displays of lawn and window signs, Facebook posts and shares and other forms of community support seem to be really helping the campaign. From an initial goal of 8 Million, only 2.7 million remain to be raised. RACER by all accounts is bending over backwards to do what they can to help, within the limitations of their legal directives. Willow Run is a historical treasure in our midst, and YAM is a treasure, too. How many people in the US or the world can say they just saw a B-17 fly over? Both are part of our region's unique history. Look up Willow Run on wikipedia, it is truly a great American story. From the Ford plant that revolutionized aircraft production and won the war in the 40s, to the GM transmission plant that powered the world for 30 more years. Let's all give what we can at www.savethebomberplant.org, and show the big money guys and gals that this is a cause worth supporting. Plus, a world-class aerospace and history museum is a great first tenant in a revitalized Willow Run industrial center.
jns131
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 12:43 a.m.
YAM still has their air show coming up. They may ask for an extension to see if from donations at this event if they get to their goal. But I hate to say it, I really don't see it happening unless someone comes forward with deep pockets to help. Good luck YAM.
leadersandbestfan
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 2:40 p.m.
One source of deep pockets w/b the high end auto guys: Rick Waggoner, Bob Lutz, Alan Mullaly, etc. Both Ford and GM used the building and could make contributions that sustain the auto company legacies. For that matter, GM and Ford should consider it. Community base contributions are necessary and helpful but contribution ability makes a difference as well.
Real Life
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 10:12 p.m.
The Yankee Air Museum has a site dedicate to preserving the corner of the site where the aircraft rolled out, the end of the assembly line. The site is savethebomberplant.org I urge anyone who is interested in this facility's past, and its potential to support a manufacturing renaissance through supporting education for the future of our region, to visit the site and contribute.
Frank Grzybek
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 8:58 p.m.
Once upon a time, I understood that the plant was actually in violation of FAA guidelines due to it's proximity to the Willow Run Airport glide paths. The plant was waivered due to its production of bombers and the ongoing requirement that it be able to revert to defense production, if required. That waiver would not extend to any other facilities should the plant be torn down and the land would be unbuildable. What changed?
djacks24
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 8:04 p.m.
Two words for putting the property to good use: Server farm.
sttc
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 3:58 p.m.
wish they would let a good photographer run loose in there for a few days to thoroughly document the building before they take it down.
Kyle Mattson
Tue, Jul 23, 2013 : 4:33 p.m.
We're hoping to do something right along those lines sttc.
thedime
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 3:21 a.m.
It is still pretty sweet inside. It is dark and dingy though.
Kai Petainen
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 9:12 p.m.
can anyone let me in there?
Soothslayer
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 3:46 p.m.
Why not turn the complex into an international movie production studio? The airport nearby would facilitate the necessary talent transport and there's plenty to keep Hollywood types occupied and housed between Ypsi and Ann Arbor.
KMHall
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 11:12 p.m.
Movie producers who came to AA wanted real houses, real neighborhoods, real stores etc. even though they transformed a few big buildings such as the Cavern Club.
Basic Bob
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 3:10 p.m.
There are 67 Superfund sites in Michigan. This is not one of them. The most likely contamination is degreasers such as TCE. The preferred method of remediation is in-place pumping and filtration, which is exactly what is being done.
no flamers!
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 3:02 a.m.
Facts. In short supply on blogs. Thanks for providing one.
brimble
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:25 p.m.
Staff seems to argue that the facility should be a clean slate, and only notes that the effort put forth by the Yankee Air Museum is commendable, while not endorsing that effort. "Wishing them well" falls far short of endorsing the plan to preserve this oasis of history. A "clean slate" by definition erases the history of a location, and that alone represents a dangerous precedent.
OLDTIMER3
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:37 p.m.
Why has there been a place shown where a person can donate to the YAM fund to buy the buildind it wants?
Nicholas Urfe
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 12:31 p.m.
The bewildering thing is that they are not being forced to clean up the toxic spills. It is a terrible precedent.
jns131
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 12:41 a.m.
According to Brenda Stumbo she stated that under the bankruptcy there is a crew that will come in and clean up the mess once the building is gone. The concrete is what sustains the toxic mess from coming in contact with ground water. So for now? What to do with big building that no one wants and yet YAM only wants part of. I did hear that if they do get a portion of the building? It will become a charter school run by YAM. Chrysler is funding currently a summer school program at YAM. So, who knows.
Nicholas Urfe
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 11:31 p.m.
And look at many dry cleaners' establishments. What percentage of those leave behind toxic soil, like the old Kroger site on Packard?
Kai Petainen
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 9:11 p.m.
regarding the toxic spills and clean-up.... it doesn't surprise me. just look at ann arbor and dioxane... they do a lousy job of cleaning that up. expect that stuff to be there for decades....
Michigan Reader
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 5:41 p.m.
The General Motors that used to own the site doesn't exist anymore. They filed for Chapter 7 liquidation, which dissolved the company, and sold its assets off to pay creditors. The General Motors that exists now is a new company. They bought some of "old" GM's stuff, like plants, equipment, etc.
Nicholas Urfe
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:57 p.m.
No, they are not cleaning it up. They are leaving all of the contamination in place. They merely have pumps to control a small portion of the toxic brew. It is another case of a corporation extracting profits and kicking their toxic mess own the road, and on to taxpayers.
no flamers!
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 12:48 p.m.
I don't see it as a precedent--good or bad. Instead, it is a fundamental tenant of bankruptcy that the bankrupt organization can discharged all liabilities and start anew. The public policy of course being that the entity has more societal value in starting fresh than in complete collapse. In other words, the site wasn't going to get cleaned up by GM whether it collapsed (and had no $ to clean-up) or started fresh post-bankruptcy. Those who pay federal taxes are now paying for the clean-up through the RACER trust established by the federal government to responsibly return the GM abandoned sites to private ownership.