$500,000 in Grants Help Lure New DaimlerChrysler Plant
Posted on April 17, 2007
DaimlerChrysler Corporation in cooperation with the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County (EDA), the City of Marysville, the Township of St. Clair, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), announced today, subject to the approval of negotiated state and local incentives, its intention to construct a major new facility employing 1,000 people for its powertrain division in St. Clair County, Michigan.
As a part of an incentive program coordinated by the EDA, the Community Foundation of St. Clair County joined the Citizens First Foundation with equal grants of $250,000 to St. Clair County Community College. The college will use the grants to create and establish a workforce development training program for the new DaimlerChrysler plant and its employees.
DaimlerChrysler anticipates investing approximately $366 Million to construct and equip the new axle plant. When fully operational, the facility is expected to employ approximately 750 people directly by DaimlerChrysler with approximately 250 additional contract positions as part of the project at this location.
The facility will be built on a 211 acre parcel on the border of St. Clair Township and the City of Marysville at the intersection of Davis Road and Busha Highway. Construction on the 750,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility is expected to take approximately 18 months.
“This equals the largest grant we’ve ever awarded,” said Chuck Kelly, Chairman of the Community Foundation. “This is another great example of collaboration between the leading organizations in this county, especially the EDA,” he added. “Last year our donors asked us to focus our resources on economic development, and this new plant will be the largest single development St. Clair County has ever seen.”
During the last quarter of 2006 the Community Foundation conducted a series of surveys, focus groups and small workshops to re-assess its strategic priorities. As a result of that feedback, the Foundation Board of Directors agreed to focus its discretionary endowed funds on the priority areas of; Economic Development, Education, and Arts & Culture as its top three priorities through the end of 2009. The Foundation Board also agreed to pursue additional partnership opportunities with both SC4 and the Economic Development Alliance.
The Community Foundation of St. Clair County is the largest public foundation in Michigan’s Thumb Region with total assets of almost $33 million. The Community Foundation helps donors achieve their individual charitable and philanthropic goals through the creation, management and administration of permanently endowed funds.
