The transformation of a former GM plant attracts three new companies to West Michigan.
Site 36’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 75-acre site sat vacant for nearly 15 years following the plant’s closure in 2009. Now, with three innovative companies breathing new life into this space and bringing hundreds of jobs with them, Site 36 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), The Right Place, Consumers Energy and Franklin Partners — a great deal of time and patience to get the job done right.
“The 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. There 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 offers those benefits.”
A key feature of Site 36, and a vital aspect of the redevelopment process, included the creation of a dedicated Consumers Energy substation able to provide up to 41 megawatts of power at T-1 rates to accommodate structures ranging from 100,000 to 1 million sq. ft.
With the addition of this asset, Site 36 was deemed “Energy Ready,” a certification co-opted by Consumers Energy, The Right Place and MEDC to identify sites capable of serving 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.
The BENTELER Group broke ground on a new automotive plant at Site 36 in fall 2024.
Photo courtesy of The Right Place
“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.”
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.
