Janesville working to acquire GM assembly plant

JANESVILLE, Wis. (WTVO) — The City of Janesville is working to acquire the former General Motors Assembly Plant in order to redevelop it into a residential area.

According to WCLO Big Radio , the City is trying to condemn the site after a brownfield development company failed to make use of it after buying the property in 2018.

The assembly plant and adjacent Jatco site were demolished under the ownership of Commercial Development Company, a real estate firm from St. Louis, Missouri, leaving rubble strewn over the 240-acre plot.

Janesville hopes the property will be eligible for a $20 million EPA cleanup grant in 2025.

The grant’s rules would require the city to plan for a new development within 3 years, which the city intends to use for new condominiums, duplexes, parks, and wooded trails.

The Janesville assembly plant was idled in 2008. It built SUVs including the Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, and the Chevy Tahoe.

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