Gary Roberts with the locally-based DeMattia tells GlobeSt.comthat while business has been slow due to the economy, there areprojects for advanced engineering companies that are working onfuture automotive developments. "These suppliers are makinginvestments for the future," he says. The Plymouth location willhouse commercial and engineering teams for product development,laboratory space, offices and team collaboration. "They'll haveoffices on the second level and R&D on the first level,"Roberts says.

The automotive supplier received a $3.5 million tax credit fromthe Michigan Economic Development Corp., with the stipulation thatthe firm also expand a manufacturing facility in Homer, MI. Thedevelopments will add about 325 jobs, including 42 at the Novilocation. The company will also receive $500,000 through thestate's Economic Development Job Training program.

The Plymouth building will be complete in mid-2009, and will bethe last parcel occupied along State Highway M-14, an importantcorridor between Ann Arbor and Detroit, Roberts says. "It will be anice completion to the automotive engineering park," he says. Thepark includes tenants such as Johnson Controls, AVL North America,Freudenberg-NOK, Dow Corning and Metaldyne.