Visteon Sets April For Main Construction Start

Steel will begin rising next month, said Margaret Johnson of Visteon.

"When we started, we were looking at a mid-2004 opening period, and that'sstill on target," Johnson told GlobeSt.com.

She said a public hearing was held this week to approve bonds for the localdevelopment finance authority, which encompasses the 265-acre site.At the end of 2001, the township approved a 12-year, $31-million taxabatement for Visteon.

The abatements were for the development of the site near I-94 and I-275,with about $325 million of planned new development, including newinfrastructure for roads, water, and other necessities.

The land is a former sand and gravel quarry from the 1950s.

The township has been told the company wants to use future buildings on thesite for offices, technology and research and development space. The SmithGroup of Detroit is working on the site plans.

Once completed, the new facility will total 800,000 to 1 million sf andhouse up to 4,000 people.

There was a slight snag on the building process. The quarry soil is loose,and the company had to drive pylons into the property to provide an anchorfor the building construction.However, that job did not make a significant dent in the building process,Johnson said.

"Everything is still on budget, and still on time," she said. "I hear thisis one of the biggest construction projects in the country."

Johnson said the complex will be mostly offices, filling more than780,000-sf of space at the facilities. A tech center will feature 134,000-sfof space for research and development, Johnson said.

A $100-million mixed-use development nearby should now get a boost thanks tothe news. Walden Woods at Tyler and Morton Taylor roads has been expectingthe development. The project will have 300 single-family homes, another 200multifamily units (probably condominiums), and 100,000 sf of retail space.