DETROIT (WWJ) Detroit city leaders are looking for developers to take over the site of the former Packard Plant on the east side.
In a press release on Thursday, the City of Detroit announced they, in conjunction with Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), are seeking proposals from “qualified redevelopers of several parcels that represent the majority of the former Packard Plant.”
They say their “primary goal” is to turn the site into a “high-quality industrial/manufacturing facility, ideally in the automotive sector.”
The property is approximately 37.24 acres between I-94 and Farnsworth Street. City officials say its proximity to major freeways and other manufacturing businesses, including Factory Zero, make it an “attractive development opportunity.”
“The redevelopment of the Packard Plant site represents a significant opportunity to bring new life to a historic property and contribute to the ongoing revitalization of Detroit’s automotive industry,” Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges, Chief Operating Officer of the DEGC, said in the release. “We are excited to work with the City of Detroit and potential developers to create a project that will honor the legacy of the Packard Plant while driving economic growth and job creation in the area.”
Interested firms must turn their proposals in by July 12th; the city and the DEGC said they will “endeavor” to get back to canidates by early fall.
According to Historic Detroit, architect Albert Kahn was hired in 1903 to design the factory on 80 acres along Grand Boulevard. It eventually grew to over 80 buildings where workers made both cars and engines for World War II. It closed in 1956 after the last car of the Packard brand was produced.
In the years that ensued, “scrappers (then) set to work, literally ripping the place apart, turning it into 3.5 million square feet of rubble and ruin,” Historic Detroit said.
Peruvian developer Fernando Palazuelo bought most of the plant in a 2013 county tax auction. Demolition of the site started in 2022 and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
If you’re interested in submitting a proposal, you find more information here.