When completed, GM envisions a housing and commerce area that would appeal to the approximately 20,000 who work at the Technical Center. The property across from the GM Technical Center is considered valuable because of its size and location, including the proximity to freeways, Fortune 500 companies and auto suppliers. Some estimates suggest the land could be worth about $300,000 an acre.

GM tightly guarded its plans for the property for years, after the city's plan for upscale homes and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course collapsed in 1994 before groundbreaking. In 2001, the automaker hired a Pittsburgh-based planning firm to recommend the best use for the parcel. Its conclusion: a pedestrian-friendly town center development with downtown shopping and homes close to restaurants, bars and shops. The company, Urban Design Associates, pointed to the commerce of Royal Oak and Birmingham as examples.

Housing could range from $150,000 multifamily units to single-family homes priced up to $250,000, according to the study. Strip malls and "big box" department stores were not part of the recommended commercial development.

Recommended For You

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.

Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.