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

GM tightly guarded its plans for the property for years, afterthe city's plan for upscale homes and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golfcourse collapsed in 1994 before groundbreaking. In 2001, theautomaker hired a Pittsburgh-based planning firm to recommend thebest use for the parcel. Its conclusion: a pedestrian-friendly towncenter development with downtown shopping and homes close torestaurants, bars and shops. The company, Urban Design Associates,pointed to the commerce of Royal Oak and Birmingham asexamples.

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