Bedrock to Bring World-Class Automotive Manufacturing to Detroit’s Delray District

February 22, 2022


  • LM Manufacturing to lease approximately 296,000 sq. ft. of Bedrock’s Sakthi Industrial Campus for the manufacturing of automotive seat assemblies

  • Facility to create more than 390 jobs and is expected to strengthen city’s industrial resurgence, creating a pathway for continued career growth opportunities in the region

  • Lease represents Bedrock’s first major industrial development and highlights continued demand for manufacturing space in Detroit

February 22, 2022 [DETROIT] – Bedrock, Detroit’s largest real estate developer, today announced a deal with LM Manufacturing, a joint venture between Magna, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, and LAN Manufacturing, a minority-owned automotive supplier based in Michigan, to provide 296,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space in the Delray neighborhood - just four miles west of Detroit’s city center.

“This announcement is the latest sign of the resurgence of Detroit’s auto manufacturing industry and expanding opportunity for Detroiters. We are fortunate to have this team come together to re-occupy the former Sakthi campus, bringing nearly 400 jobs to an area of the city that needs them and making the hiring of Detroit residents a priority,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

Under the agreement, LM Manufacturing will lease space in 6451 W. Fort Street, 6401 W. Fort Street, and 150 Rademacher in the Bedrock owned, former Sakthi Industrial Campus to develop a plant for manufacturing automotive seating. The plant is expected to create a combination of more than 390 jobs.

“The U.S. demand for modern and adaptable industrial space has grown exponentially over the past decade,” said Kofi Bonner, CEO at Bedrock. “In order to retain a competitive edge, it is imperative that Detroit maintains development-ready sites that incorporate modern industrial facilities to not only foster business growth and expansion but provide access to much-needed job opportunities. This partnership with LM Manufacturing will be a game changer for the Delray area and a chance to transform the vacant site into a beacon of opportunity and sustainability.”

Bedrock acquired the former Sakthi Industrial Campus in September of 2020, growing the developer’s industrial footprint and marking its largest acquisition outside of Detroit’s Central Business District.

The nearly 37-acre acquisition included approximately 529,000 sq. ft. of industrial and manufacturing space, 89,000 sq. ft. of office and flex space, along with more than 10 acres of developable land. The property is strategically located just four miles west of downtown Detroit, adjacent and to the Norfolk Southern Rail Line and near the future Gordie Howe International Bridge U.S. Port of Entry.

The lease is expected to commence in May 2022.

“Congratulations to the entire Bedrock team on your first major industrial development! We’re excited to see this project come to fruition and bring new life to this vacant site in the Delray neighborhood of Detroit,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., CEO of the MEDC and President and Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund. “We’re pleased to work with our local partners to bring good jobs to area residents and make Detroit an even better place for Michiganders to live, work, visit, play and build a future.”

Neighborhood Impact

“Thanks to Bedrock we have a great place to call home for our joint venture,” said Sylvester Hester, president and CEO of LM Manufacturing, LLC. “It’s exciting to think about the opportunities the joint venture can deliver, especially creating new jobs in the Detroit area.”

The emergence of a modern industrial park with an anchor tenant like LM Manufacturing will accelerate the much-needed revitalization of the Delray district, and play an incredibly important role in the Detroit economy.

“Today’s announcement is another important step in building economic opportunities for all Detroiters. This project in partnership with LM Manufacturing is a perfect example of public, private collaboration, and will provide city residents with cutting edge manufacturing jobs at significant wages,” said Jay Farner, CEO of Rocket Companies and Rock Ventures. “As the city continues to grow and flourish, so too must high-quality job opportunities - from hospitality to high-tech and medicine to manufacturing.”

About Bedrock Bedrock is a full-service real estate firm specializing in innovative city-building strategies, reaching far beyond the boundaries of bricks and mortar. Since its founding in 2011, Bedrock and its affiliates have invested and committed more than $5.6 billion to acquiring and developing more than 100 properties in Detroit and Cleveland, including landmark developments at the Hudson’s Site, the Book Tower restoration, City Modern and the May Company Building. Bedrock’s portfolio totals more than 18 million square feet of office, retail and residential space within new construction and adaptive reuse projects.

For more information on Bedrock’s projects, visit bedrockdetroit.com or engage with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Click here to view a complete timeline of Bedrock and the Rock Family of Companies’ engagement within the Detroit community.