Nathan Bomey reports in the Free Press the trust that controls the historic former General Motors Willow Run plant in Ypsilanti Township is likely to demolish the 5-million-square-foot factory with the exception of a portion that might be sold to the next-door Yankee Air Museum.
The factory, built by Henry Ford in 1941 to make B-24 bombers during World War II and later sold to GM, has been empty since GM closed it in December 2010. The woman who inspired the WWII propaganda image of “Rosie the Riveter” worked at the plant, which was pumping out a bomber every 55 minutes at its peak during the war.
The Yankee Air Museum, currently at several Willow Run Airport buildings adjacent to the plant, has signed a tentative deal to acquire a 175,000-square-foot portion of the factory that was once used to make the Liberator bombers. If the deal is completed, the museum would move from its existing 47,000-square-foot hangar and other properties.
