Lansing Craft Centre
Encyclopedia
The Lansing Craft Centre was a specialized General Motors automobile
assembly factory in Lansing Township, Michigan. The plant started production (as the Reatta Craft Centre)
in 1987 and closed in 2006. At the time of its closure, the plant was 985000 square feet (91,509.5 m²) in size, and employed 400 workers.
The facility was originally built by GM as a foundry
in 1919, and sat across Saginaw Street from the Lansing Metal Center
.
The Lansing Craft Center was the construction site for low-volume vehicles like the General Motors EV1
, Buick Reatta
, and Cadillac Eldorado
. The Craft Centre also produced the convertible
Chevrolet Cavalier
and Pontiac Sunfire
. Its final product was the Chevrolet SSR
. On November 21, 2005, General Motors announced that it would close the Lansing Craft Centre in mid-2006. The final SSR, a unique black-on-silver model, was built on March 17, 2006. Many of the Craft Centre workers were transferred to the new Lansing Delta Township Assembly
plant.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
assembly factory in Lansing Township, Michigan. The plant started production (as the Reatta Craft Centre)
in 1987 and closed in 2006. At the time of its closure, the plant was 985000 square feet (91,509.5 m²) in size, and employed 400 workers.
The facility was originally built by GM as a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
in 1919, and sat across Saginaw Street from the Lansing Metal Center
Lansing Metal Center
The Lansing Metal Center was a General Motors foundry located in Lansing Township, Michigan directly across Saginaw Street from the Lansing Craft Centre. It was originally built as a jet engine manufacturing plant in 1952 and shuttered in 2006. Upon its closing, the plant was in size, and...
.
The Lansing Craft Center was the construction site for low-volume vehicles like the General Motors EV1
General Motors EV1
The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by the General Motors Corporation from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker, and the first GM car designed to be an electric vehicle from the...
, Buick Reatta
Buick Reatta
The Buick Reatta was the first car Buick advertised as a two-seater since the 1940 Buick model 46. It was a hand-made luxurious sports coupe produced at the Lansing Craft Centre in Lansing, Michigan and sold by the Buick division of American automaker General Motors from early 1988 to 1991...
, and Cadillac Eldorado
Cadillac Eldorado
The 1953 Eldorado was a special-bodied, low-production convertible . It was the production version of the 1952 El Dorado "Golden Anniversary" concept car, and borrowed bumper bullets from the 1951 GM Le Sabre show car...
. The Craft Centre also produced the convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
Chevrolet Cavalier
Chevrolet Cavalier
The Chevrolet Cavalier was a compact automobile produced from 1982 to 2005 by General Motors. Built on the company's J platform, the Cavalier was one of the best-selling cars in the United States throughout its life.- Predecessors :...
and Pontiac Sunfire
Pontiac Sunfire
The Pontiac Sunfire was introduced for the 1995 model year as the compact car to replace the Sunbird. Not only was the name changed, but dramatic styling changes were included as well. The new styling was shared with the redesigned Chevrolet Cavalier...
. Its final product was the Chevrolet SSR
Chevrolet SSR
The Chevrolet SSR is a retractable hardtop convertible pickup truck manufactured by Chevrolet between 2003 and 2006....
. On November 21, 2005, General Motors announced that it would close the Lansing Craft Centre in mid-2006. The final SSR, a unique black-on-silver model, was built on March 17, 2006. Many of the Craft Centre workers were transferred to the new Lansing Delta Township Assembly
Lansing Delta Township Assembly
Lansing Delta Township Assembly is a General Motors automobile assembly factory in Delta Township, Michigan on land that is shared by both the nearby city of Lansing, and the township. It manufactures Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC vehicles....
plant.
Products
- 1988–1991 Buick ReattaBuick ReattaThe Buick Reatta was the first car Buick advertised as a two-seater since the 1940 Buick model 46. It was a hand-made luxurious sports coupe produced at the Lansing Craft Centre in Lansing, Michigan and sold by the Buick division of American automaker General Motors from early 1988 to 1991...
- 1995–2000 Chevrolet CavalierChevrolet CavalierThe Chevrolet Cavalier was a compact automobile produced from 1982 to 2005 by General Motors. Built on the company's J platform, the Cavalier was one of the best-selling cars in the United States throughout its life.- Predecessors :...
convertible - 1995–2000 Pontiac SunfirePontiac SunfireThe Pontiac Sunfire was introduced for the 1995 model year as the compact car to replace the Sunbird. Not only was the name changed, but dramatic styling changes were included as well. The new styling was shared with the redesigned Chevrolet Cavalier...
convertible - 1997–1999 General Motors EV1General Motors EV1The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by the General Motors Corporation from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker, and the first GM car designed to be an electric vehicle from the...
- 2000–2002 Cadillac EldoradoCadillac EldoradoThe 1953 Eldorado was a special-bodied, low-production convertible . It was the production version of the 1952 El Dorado "Golden Anniversary" concept car, and borrowed bumper bullets from the 1951 GM Le Sabre show car...
(formerly assembled at the Detroit/Hamtramck AssemblyDetroit/Hamtramck AssemblyDetroit/Hamtramck Assembly is a General Motors automobile factory straddling the border between Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan. It is located about three miles from corporate headquarters and has been used for production of Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac products.-History:The site...
) - 2003–2006 Chevrolet SSRChevrolet SSRThe Chevrolet SSR is a retractable hardtop convertible pickup truck manufactured by Chevrolet between 2003 and 2006....