Lansing Craft Center
{{short description|Former General Motors factory}}
{{Infobox factory
| name = Lansing Craft Center
| image =
| image_size = 200
| alt =
| caption =
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| coordinates = {{Coord}}
| built =
| operated = 1919–2006
| location = Lansing Township, Michigan
| industry = Automotive
| products = Automobiles
| employees = 400
| architect =
| style =
| buildings =
| area =
| volume = {{convert|985,000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
| address = 2801 West Saginaw St
| owner = General Motors
| website =
| defunct = {{end date and age|2006|3}}
}}
The Lansing Craft Center (LCC) was a specialized General Motors automobile assembly factory in Lansing Township, Michigan, located at 2801 West Saginaw Street across from GM's Lansing Metal Center.{{cite web
|url=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/buick15.htm
|title=HowStuffWorks "Buick Reatta"
|publisher=auto.howstuffworks.com
|accessdate=2009-04-19
|last=The Auto Editors of Consumer Guide
|date=5 June 2007
}}
{{cite web
|url=http://www.beaterreview.com/?p=78
|work=Beater Review |title= She's Crafty: 1988-91 Buick Reatta
|accessdate=2009-04-19
|last=Stoy
|first=Andrew
}}
History
The facility was originally built by GM as the "Oldsmobile Differential Plant and Foundry" in 1919. The foundry was repurposed as the "Reatta Craft Centre" in 1984 when GM chose it as the manufacturing site of the Buick Reatta, which began production in 1988 after a stamping plant, body shop, and assembly area were constructed. After the end of production of the Reatta, the plant was renamed the "Lansing Craft Centre". Over its existence, the Lansing Craft Center manufactured GM's low-volume vehicles including the EV1, Cadillac Eldorado, convertible Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire and Chevrolet SSR.
= Closure =
In November 2005, General Motors announced that it would close the Lansing Craft Center in mid-2006, and the final SSR, a unique black-on-silver model, was assembled on March 17, 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060318/NEWS01/603180340/1001/NEWS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015923/http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20060318%2FNEWS01%2F603180340%2F1001%2FNEWS |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |work=Lansing State Journal |title=Tearful workers say goodbye Last SSR rolls off Craft Center line |author=Barbara Wieland |accessdate=March 20, 2006 }} The plant was demolished from 2008 to 2009.{{cite web |title=Lansing Craft Centre Timeline |url=https://www.ssrfanatic.com/threads/lansing-craft-centre-timeline.43660/ |website=SSRFanatic.com |accessdate=10 August 2019}}{{cite news |title=GM to begin razing shuttered factories near Lansing |url=https://www.mlive.com/statewidebusinessstories/2008/02/gm_to_begin_razing_shuttered_f.html |accessdate=10 August 2019 |work=The Associated Press |date=22 Feb 2008}}
At the time of its closure, the plant size was {{convert|985,000|sqft|m2}} and the facility employed 400,{{cite web|url=http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051122/NEWS03/511220329/1004/news03|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904003347/http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051122/NEWS03/511220329/1004/news03|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 4, 2012|work=Lansing State Journal|title=GM closures hit 1,600 in Lansing|author=Barbara Wieland|accessdate=August 3, 2008}} many of whom were transferred to the new Lansing Grand River Assembly, as well as some operations transferred to the nearby Lansing Delta Township Assembly.
The facility was demolished in 2008 along with the Lansing Metal Center.[https://www.mlive.com/statewidebusinessstories/2008/02/gm_to_begin_razing_shuttered_f.html GM to begin razing shuttered factories near Lansing] on The Associated Press – Feb. 22, 2008
Vehicles produced
- 1988–1991 Buick Reatta
- 1995–2000 Chevrolet Cavalier convertible
- 1995–2000 Pontiac Sunfire convertible
- 1997–1999 General Motors EV1
- 2000–2002 Cadillac Eldorado {{refn|formerly assembled at the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly.|group=n1|name=eldor}}
- 2003–2006 Chevrolet SSR
;Notes
{{reflist|group=n1}}
References
{{General Motors factories}}
{{coord|42|44|33.81|N|84|35|6.41|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:General Motors factories
Category:Former motor vehicle assembly plants
Category:Economy of Lansing, Michigan
Category:Motor vehicle assembly plants in Michigan