A real estate developer with eyes on buying part of the former Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit is in negotiations that would bring an Amazon distribution center to the site.
Hillwood Investment Properties and local partner the Sterling Group plan to purchase 142 acres (57 hectares) of the property along Detroit’s northern city limits.
A 3.8 million-square-foot (353,000-square-meter) facility is planned. More than 1,200 full-time jobs are expected to be created. Amazon could become the first anchor tenant and occupy about half of the 142 acres.
“What Detroit needs more than anything right now is jobs,” Mayor Mike Duggan said this past week in announcing the proposed project. “The developers and the new tenant will be working closely with our team at Detroit at Work, which will be helping to provide outstanding candidates who are residents of the city.”
The development team would pay $9 million for the land and $7 million to build a new indoor Detroit Transportation bus center. The proposed project would be privately financed, without tax breaks or other financial incentives, according to Duggan.
A purchase agreement is expected to be presented to the City Council in September. If approved, work could start by the end of October.
The Michigan State Fair last was held at the site in 2009.
