< Previous178 JANUARY 2025 SITE SELECTION EXPLORE VERIFIED INDUSTRIAL SITES VIP by DRP vipbydrp.com T he Detroit Region’s robust real estate market off ers a wide range of buildings, land, and expert development partners to support industrial growth. Whether establishing a sales and warehouse operation or building a custom manufacturing facility, the region provides the resources and infrastructure to meet diverse business needs. Detroit is the 8th largest industrial real estate market in the U.S., boasting 600 million square feet of occupied industrial space. A combination of local and national developers continuously bring new industrial space to market, with more than 3.7 million square feet currently under construction. The region is also home to several leading industrial engineering, construction, and development partners, each with nearly a century of experience delivering innovative, on-time, and budget-friendly solutions for manufacturing and logistics clients locally and globally. To further streamline expansion eff orts, the Detroit Regional Partnership’s Verifi ed Industrial Properties program (VIP by DRP) brings these resources to the forefront. This program accelerates site selection and helps companies quickly secure a location. The VIP by DRP team proactively identifi es and assesses sites, making relevant site diligence and drone videos available through its Property Portal. Once a site is selected, VIP by DRP off ers an additional $100,000 in site diligence support to expedite site plan reviews and construction schedules. With a combination of strategic infrastructure, experienced partners, and innovative programs like VIP by DRP, the Detroit Region is the ideal destination for industrial growth and development. DETROIT REGION TALENT & INVESTMENT GUIDE8th largest industrial real estate market in the U.S. Over 57 available industrial sites - 10 acres or larger Up to $100,000 in End-User Support Nationally Recognized Industrial Sites Program DETROIT REGION TALENT & INVESTMENT GUIDE SITE SELECTION JANUARY 2025 179180 JANUARY 2025 SITE SELECTION Life at Its Best, Opportunity at Its Core C ombining vibrant and diverse nightlife with abundant recreation opportunities, from scenic waterfront parks to world-class sports and cultural attractions, the Detroit Region offers an exceptional quality of life. Affordable housing options across a variety of welcoming neighborhoods provide residents with a high standard of living without the high costs found in other major metro areas. Our dynamic region provides the perfect balance of excitement, accessibility, and community for individuals and families alike. Sports fans in the Detroit Region love the fact that they can attend professional athletic events on a year-round basis, thanks to the presence of big-league teams in all five major American sports. This includes the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball; the Detroit Lions of the National Football League; the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League; the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association; and the Detroit City Football Club of the United Soccer League. On top of that, Detroit is the only U.S. city where all four major league teams play in the downtown area. DETROIT REGION TALENT & INVESTMENT GUIDE#1 Riverwalk in the United States for three years 2,600 PARKS Longest Freshwater Shoreline in the United States #5 State for Golf Courses with more than 650 DETROIT REGION TALENT & INVESTMENT GUIDE SITE SELECTION JANUARY 2025 1811001 Woodward Avenue, Suite 800 Detroit, Michigan 48226 +1.313.518.5600 detroitregionalpartnership.com DetroitRegionalPartnership@DetroitRegionalPartnership DetroitRegionalPartnership @DetroitRegionalINVESTMENT PROFILE: CONSUMERS ENERGY Site 36: Act II The transformation of a former GM plant attracts three new companies to West Michigan. S ite ’s transformation marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Wyoming, Michigan. Previously a General Motors stamping plant and cornerstone of the city’s economy, the -acre site sat vacant for nearly years following the plant’s closure in . Now, with three innovative companies breathing new life into this space and bringing hundreds of jobs with them, Site is once again one of the community’s strongest pillars. Ready for Revitalization From demolition to environmental remediation, each step of the redevelopment process took the City of Wyoming and its partners — including the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), e Right Place, Consumers Energy and Franklin Partners — a great deal of time and patience to get the job done right. “ e longer a site goes undeveloped, the more the perception is created that there must be something wrong with it. And there really wasn’t,” says Wyoming City Manager John Shay. “It’s got water, sewer, it’s got plenty of electrical power. ere are railroad tracks on the west side of the site. It’s a block or two east of a major Interstate. From a transportation and utility point of view, it off ers those benefi ts.” A key feature of Site , and a vital aspect of the redevelopment process, included the creation of a dedicated Consumers Energy substation able to provide up to megawatts of power at T- rates to accommodate structures ranging from , to million sq. ft. With the addition of this asset, Site was deemed “Energy Ready,” a certifi cation co- opted by Consumers Energy, e Right Place and MEDC to identify sites capable of serving by LINDSAY LOPP lindsay.lopp@siteselection.com 184 JANUARY 2025 SITE SELECTION The former GM stamping plant known as Site 36 was purchased by Franklin Partners in 2022 and with collaboration from partners such as Consumers Energy has attracted three corporate investments. Photo courtesy of Franklin Partners SITE SELECTION JANUARY 2025 185 large customers because of the location’s right-fit energy infrastructure. This designation, and the assessments that precede it, was designed to answer incoming businesses’ energy-related questions before they’re asked, saving the companies money and time and streamlining each company’s development. This invaluable resource, paired with the location’s logistics capabilities, access to talent and manufacturing heritage, quickly brought Site 36 to max capacity. Three diverse companies — Benteler Automotive, Corewell Health and GeLock — are currently constructing new facilities at the site, collectively generating over $200 million in investment and around 400 jobs. Corewell Health, one of Michigan’s largest employers, was the first of the trio to announce its plans to expand at Site 36. Backed by an investment of $80 million, this new location is anticipated to serve as a centralized distribution center. “Being an infill site means that it is truly integral to the greater metro,” explains Randy Thelen, president and CEO of The Right Place. “It’s accessible, somewhat central, and so it proved to be a very interesting location for a hospital system looking to centralize its distribution capabilities.” As for GeLock, the company previously called downtown Grand Rapids home. Yet, as the city is about to undergo the largest private investment project in its history, constructing various towers and retail and recreation facilities, an industrial operation no longer suited the changing landscape. “They chose to sell their site for a higher use and capitalize on this site being available,” says Thelen. “The City of Wyoming is the core of our greater region. It was simple for that company to move and expand down the street, so to speak.” The BENTELER Group announced in early December that it would expand its operations at Site 36. The $105 million investment is expected to be the company’s seventh plant in the United States and will manufacturer battery trays and other metal components for a U.S. automaker’s electric vehicles. Construction on the 315,000-sq.-ft. plant began in September, with production scheduled to start in 2026. “No longer will people be driving by a vacated site and wondering what happened, what’s going on there, and just assume the worst. Now, they are going to see construction on three buildings and assume the best,” says Thelen. “We’re seeing an uptick in interest in infill industrial sites, whether that’s from the manufacturing sector that’s had a bit of a renaissance, or the data centers that are looking for those heavily served infrastructure sites. They’re not easy to come by in the greenfield arena anymore. Looking at sites like Site 36, the fact that three companies co-located there within a very short period of time says a lot about where the market is today.” Dual Development Alongside Site 36’s second act, revitalization efforts in the City of Wyoming extend beyond industrial development. Companies aren’t solely attracted by sites anymore; the community needs to sell an entire package. Adjacent to Site 36 sits the newly constructed Godwin Mercado. Designed as a farmers’ market, artist market and indoor and outdoor event space all rolled into one, the Godwin Mercado will be the City of Wyoming’s new downtown center. Its residents have long requested a space that fosters connectivity, and now that it’s becoming a reality, Godwin Mercado is meeting locals’ needs and drawing the interest of investors. “It’s not enough just to have job creation. The public wants these things all tied together and to have a little bit of a community development component to that,” says Thelen. “To blend these three projects with the Godwin Mercado across the street is a great example for economic development across the country, where you get economic development and community development in tandem.” The BENTELER Group broke ground on a new automotive plant at Site 36 in fall 2024. Photo courtesy of The Right Place This Investment Profile was prepared under the auspices of Consumers Energy, Michigan’s top energy provider. For more information, contact Valerie Christofferson at Consumers Energy at valerie.christofferson@cmsenergy.com.186 JANUARY 2025 SITE SELECTION Selected Top Projects by Capital Investment COMPANY CITY INVESTMENT $M Novelis Bay Minette 4,100 First Solar Huntsville 1,111 Meta Platforms Montgomery 800 Origis Energy USA Clarke Cnty. 412 Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Birmingham 338 Source: Conway Projects Database BY THE NUMBERS ALABAMA Total Rev. as Share of Total Expenses, FY 2008-22: 103.40% Industrial power cost per kWh: $7.10 2021 Workers’ Comp Index Rate: 1.38 Number of NCRCs: 402,014 | Percent Improved 2023–24: 11.36% Higher Ed. R&D Expenditure in $000s: 1,468,247 Business Tax Climate Rank Change 2024–2025: +1 Alabama STATE SPOTLIGHT F ive years ago, on a self- assigned, self-guided industrial development and civil rights history driving tour through Alabama, I met Kim Caudle Lewis and her husband Larry Lewis. Natives of Huntsville and Tuscumbia who both matriculated at Alabama higher education institutions, they are business leaders, entrepreneurs and economic development champions for Huntsville and all of northern Alabama. Before I knew it, instead of driving toward my next stop in Birmingham, I was headed west from Huntsville to Larry’s hometown of Tuscumbia in the Muscle Shoals region. I had lunch with the Lewises at their newly opened Superhero Chefs restaurant downtown presided over by Darnell Ferguson, a chef from Louisville who’d made a name for himself on the Food Network and who’s since opened another Superhero Chefs in Huntsville, where you can tuck into a plate of Southern Egg Rolls (yes, that’s mac and cheese in there) or a Sabertooth Burger. e restaurant was not the only property the Lewises were looking at in Tuscumbia. An old movie theater across the street from the restaurant had potential. A seed and supply store Larry used to go to with his family held promise. by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com Fueled by a potent blend of business sense, proactivity and community pride, Larry and Kim Lewis are a power couple with purpose. Homegrown in the Shoals Larry Lewis, Co-founder and President, PROJECTXYZ and Kim Caudle Lewis, Founder and CEO, PROJECTXYZNext >