A building that once hummed with the work of disabled World War II veterans assembling automotive parts for Henry Ford is about to hum again — this time as a community center offering art classes, community events and private rentals. The Factory, a 6,400-square-foot facility at Cherry Hill and South Ridge roads in Canton Township, has completed a $1.8 million renovation and is preparing to reopen to the public, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for the evening of Thursday, October 22.
From Wartime Auto Parts to Community Classrooms
The building traces back to 1944, when it operated as part of Henry Ford's manufacturing operations and produced automotive parts, according to WXYZ 7 News Detroit. The outlet reports the facility specifically employed disabled World War II veterans on that production line, a piece of local history now baked into the building's new identity as it is, in WXYZ's words, “established in 1944” and “re-established in 2026.” The renovation was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, the station notes, and the finished space includes rooms named the Innovation Room, the Blueprint Room and the Assembly Hall — nods to the building's industrial past.
Township officials describe The Factory as a renovated community hub meant for arts, recreation, classes and private events, and the station's report indicates the building will reopen as a hub for recreation, arts and cultural programming, enrichment classes and private events. Kristina Wilson, district manager for Cherry Hill, said The Factory will serve as a community center and rental venue for this part of Canton Township. Township officials also plan to let programming and events evolve based on community needs and interests going forward, per the same account.
Neighbors See Opportunity for Kids and Local Business
Carly Miller, adaptive gymnastics director at Jump-A-Rama, said The Factory will create opportunities for children and local events. Chad Schwartzenberger, owner of nearby Wild Wolf Coffee, called the renovated building an important community resource, according to the same WXYZ report. Tours will be available before the facility officially opens to the public, the station adds, though the exact timing of those tours was not specified.
Part of a Larger Arts Campus in Cherry Hill Village
The Factory sits alongside the Arts Warehouse, another former Ford complex building that has been repurposed for community use, per WXYZ's reporting. The Arts Warehouse, a 16,000-square-foot structure with studios ranging from 100 to 400 square feet, has been repurposed for community use; the former Ford factory building, not the Arts Warehouse, was restored to its former, simple original layout, including period-piece windows, according to hometownlife.com. Project leaders there said their goal was to make the campus a regional destination, drawing families and visitors from beyond Canton.
That neighboring building is now home to more than a dozen studio artists and small businesses offering classes in fine arts, music, pottery, fitness and dance, and its studios, classes, exhibitions and special events draw more than 10,000 visitors each year, according to artswarehousechv.com. Canton Township acquired the broader arts campus in late 2023, building on a partnership that began in 2022, when the Partnership for the Arts & Humanities and the township formalized a shared commitment to strengthening the arts and revitalizing historic Cherry Hill Village, the site notes. When The Factory reopens, the campus will add a second renovated Ford-era building to its roster of community spaces.
