GM's Warren Technical Center is located on a 30-building campus, employing 20,000 people. The expansion plan includes adding 1 million sq. ft. (93,000 sq. m.) of space in a new tower now under construction. The company had explored moving some of its operations to a greenfield site, but it ultimately decided to stay in Warren. "It's a unique site," explains Gerry Holmes, a Warren Technical Center spokesman. "It was designed by Eero Saarinen, and we wanted to preserve it as a historic site."

Last June, General Motors announced that it would build its second totally new vehicle assembly operation since the Saturn plant in 1986. The first was the Lansing Grand River assembly plant, which is currently under construction.

The new facility will be located on a 1,300 acre (526-ha.) campus to be built in Delta Township near Lansing. Some production operations may start as early as 2002. The new complex will be devoted to new products not currently made in the Lansing region.

"Once fully operational, the complex will employ approximately 2,800 people," says Jerry Elson, vice president of GM's North America Car Group Operations. "It will consist of a three-building, 2.2 million-sq.-ft. (204,400-sq.-m.) manufacturing vehicle assembly center-body shop, paint shop and general assembly facility; a 500,000 sq. ft. (46,450-sq.-m.) regional Metal Fabricating Division metal center; and a central utilities complex to serve the site." The campus includes a 300-foot greenbelt to buffer the plant from the surrounding community.

The Michigan Economic Development Corp. (www.michigan.org) offered a special state incentive package to General Motors, including a job-creation tax credit worth over $60 million over 20 years, nearly $7 million in education and training assistance, and a $23 million state education tax abatement. "This project wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Michigan Legislature," said Michigan Gov. John Engler.