The long-abandoned site of a former General Motors plant in Wyoming, Michigan, is slated for a transformative redevelopment. According to WOODTV, the Wyoming City Council recently approved a plan for Benteler Automotive to establish a new automotive parts plant that will innovate to construct battery components for the Ford Transit van. City Manager John Shay informed WOODTV of the prospect of bringing an estimated 150 to 170 jobs and emphasized the significance of a $105 million investment in the area.
Since its closure in 2009, the 75-acre GM property lay dormant and unused, serving as a stark reminder of past industrial boom times. Now, the site is expected to significantly rejuvenate the local economy.“It will really renovate or refurbish an area that is in desperate need for that. We think these jobs will be a huge benefit for the city and maybe even create indirect jobs,” Shay told WOODTV.
In addition to the battery plant, Corewell Health is developing a roughly 40-acre portion of the property. Shay, in a statement obtained by FOX 17 News, highlighted the split of the former GM site into three distinct segments as a strategic move. A third company is reportedly in the latter stages of negotiations to acquire the remaining acreage.
Implications of the site's redevelopment extend beyond mere job creation. Paul Isely, associate dean and professor of economics at Grand Valley State University, described the project's broader impact on the community to MLive: "It creates optimism, and optimism is contagious." After challenges that included brownfield issues and a competitive market for industrial sites, this development marks a turn of fortunes for the location once known primarily for its desolation.
The city also seems to firmly focus on sustainability, with plans for a non-motorized trail system that will connect the site to the Godwin Heights School area and a new marketplace, as mentioned by Shay in conversation with WOODTV. This effort is part of a broader strategy to make Wyoming more accessible and reduce dependency on motor vehicles. Benteler Automotive is expected to break ground by the year's end. Meanwhile, the anticipated influx of approximately 500 new jobs across the site marks a pivotal shift in the economic landscape of Wyoming, long-awaited since the GM plant's closure.
