Lear to buy downtown Detroit building from Gilbert, build innovation and design center
Lear Corp. is buying another downtown Detroit building, this one for a new innovation and design center. Up to 150 Lear employees and contractors are expected to work in Capitol Park after the Southfield-based auto supplier's purchase Sept. 14 of the 35,000-square-foot building at 119 State Street. Lear plans to make the nearly 130-year-old building its Innovation and Design Center, where there would be facilities for automotive innovation, a nonautomotive business incubator, think tank, creative design studio, an art gallery, Lear executive satellite offices, conference and meeting space and a rooftop garden, according to Bedrock and Lear. In addition, Lear will open its space to College for Creative Studies students to work with Lear employees on fabric, leather and sewing projects for car seating and interiors, plus some nonautomotive uses; and to Wayne State University students working on electrical distribution systems and capabilities, including connected cars and alternative energy, Matt Simoncini (B.S. ’85), president and CEO of Lear, said in a statement.
