Detroit evening times., 1945-07-25
GIN 10 Build
Laboratory
Site on Mound Road
Picked for Project

Picked for Project
Pictures or Page -
General Motors -tesAs. sH-
nounced a plan 70 group a.- rs
research advanced e1-~eerrc
STYLING sad Peoerss drert777'--
work in 2 new nl.u-~a.o0 dol
lar tecrircaI center. 10 be con-
struCte5 ON a S15-acrc SIZE m pe-
trolt'S outskirts
The location. 4 strip ~ prop
ertv a mile and + half long md
about half a mile wide on Mound
road. between - snd l-i1 Mile
road was chosen for rs corycn.-
ence 70 Genera, Motors divisions
Announcement of the project
Vss received as 2 concrete in1i-
cation that Detroit wnu!r- remain
the administrative center of Gen-
eral Motors IN the postwar period
EANlL1 Az r ~Nlbl.if
In the words Of General Motors
executives. the new teChrlcaI cen
ter will bring together 81 one
place, and Al 3 location PHYSICALLY
closer 70 the manufacturing dlv-
Eions. the research and eNperl-
mental development facilities Of
the corporation. " making possible
a more rapid interchange OF IDEAS
among General Motors teChnI-
cans.
The new center rs only 25 TIn-
utes from the General Motors
Building Is, easily accessible 10
Pontiac. Flint and Lansing manu-
featuring divisions and IS not TAR
from the Milford proving ground
which IS soon 10 undergo eNten-
sive improvements.
Cost of the project was not dis
closed. save for the statement OF
Alfred p. Sloan Jr-. chairman al
the board Of the corporation, that
II would be substantial and
should be regarded AS an invest
ment in industrial progress.
GROUP AROUND LAKE
The units Of the new center
uill be grouped around an
esplande within which Will be
seven acre lake
An administration building will
provide space for exhibiting Gen
eral Motors products and will in
corporate an auditorium seating
1.26O. II Will have A frontage Of
1000 feet and VIII house the cen
ter's executive offices.
An advanced engineering hu1td-
ing VIII provide facilities for
studies Of such special phases OF
automotive design as car develop
ment, car suspension and struc-
lures, transmission development
and engine development. II will
have $50 feet of frontage on the
lake.
MOVE LABORATORIES
The corporations research labo-
ratories will be moved from their
present location. adjoining the
General Motors Building. 10
building Of their own al the north
end Of the new project This build
ing will be one of the largest OF
the group.
Styling will be concentrated in
still another building which viii
have approximately $50 feet Of
frontage facing north, 10 give
artists the benefit Of the north
light It's main floor Will be
divided into studios so by 70 feet
each fully equipped with facilities
10 design fun size models Of all
projects under development.
ADVANCED FEATURES
Adjacent 10 the new research
laboratories will be building
devoted 10 the study and develop
ment Of production processes and
techniques and the practical ap-
pllcation Of new teChnlques TO
actual production.
The site affords space for StIif
OlIltI Allls NlllNll lId9 uN oAA'A
as new needs develop
Many novel and advanced fea-
lures VIII be employed IN the
construction Of the center. which
is being designed hy Saarinen and
Swanson Birmingham architects
II viii be 2 self contained unit
with buildings Of contemporary
functional architecture
Sloan unfolded details n the
vast project a. a More jobs
Through Research luu heon
meeting Of scientists. educators
editors. engineers and industrial
ists IN New Norks Waldorf
Astoria Hotel today.
The Genera Motors chief de-
Scrlbed the technical center as
fulflllment Of the corporation
long considered plans 20 expand
a. ne right time and on = broad
scale. lis peacetme research. en-
Fineering and development sct.vi-
ties, and even more progressively
pursue its nrewar policy Of con-
'rusl rr0dgct iuanro, ernnrf.