Page 210 - Beyond Decommissioning

Experience and lessons learned 191

6.2.2.9 Automobile plants

The Ford Assembly Plant, in Richmond, California, was the largest assembly plant to
be built on the US West Coast. The plant is part of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II
Home Front National Historical Park and is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.
Built in 1930 during the Great Depression, the plant spans over almost 4.65 ha. The
factory was a major stimulant to the local and regional economy and was an important
development in Richmond’s inner harbor and port plan. It is an excellent example of
industrial architecture designed by architect Albert Kahn, known for his "daylight fac-
tory" design, which utilized large extensive window openings. The main building is
composed of a two-story section, a single-story section, a crane-way, a boiler house
and a shed canopy structure over the railroad track.
During WWII the Richmond Ford Assembly Plant switched to assembling mil-
itary vehicles. The last Ford was assembled in February 1953, with the plant being
closed in 1956. In 1989, an earthquake severely damaged the plant. After the earth-
quake, the City of Richmond repaired and prepared the Ford Assembly building for
rehabilitation: Orton Development was selected as the developer of the rehabilita-
tion project.
Currently the historic plant, a mixed-use property called Ford Point, houses busi-
nesses, a restaurant, light industrial, and entertainment spaces. Inside the imposing
building, SunPower assembles rooftop solar racks. Down the hall, Mountain Hard-
wear designs and sells outdoor gear. The Craneway Pavilion—a giant, glass-enclosed
space where cranes once hoisted completed vehicles onto train cars—now hosts a
range of cultural and entertainment events (SFGATE, 2010).
In Allen Park, MI, Ford developed Fairlane Green, a retail and recreational center
on a site formerly used as Ford industrial waste landfill. The development includes
retail stores and restaurants, a park and some 5 km of trails. Fairlane Green was built
as a green (i.e., sustainable) property. Energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment
and roofing was installed on site buildings. The former Ford Tractor Division R&D
operation in Troy, MI, was redeveloped into Midtown Square (condominiums and
shopping center). Former operations at the 30-ha facility included performance, emis-
sions, calibration, and durability testing on diesel engines and tractors, as well as sol-
vent degreasing, machining, painting, sandblasting, and welding (Michigan
DEQ, 2007).
General Motors (GM) cooperated with the US Postal Service (USPS) to redevelop
a 30-ha GM facility in Pontiac, MI. The former facility, dating back to the early 1900s,
consisted of a foundry, engine plant, and assembly plant. In 2005, construction began
on a 7-ha USPS distribution center. The distribution center regrouped six area postal
facilities, allowing USPS to move mail more efficiently. In Pontiac, MI, GM
redeveloped its obsolete Central Manufacturing and Assembly Facility. The property
was converted into an engineering center for the GM truck Group, including offices,
laboratories, GM supplier facilities, three hotels, restaurants, and a daycare facility
(Keppler et al., 2008).