Former American Motors Headquarters on Plymouth Road

**jonathanlivingstonseagull** · June-16-10, 02:02 PM

Update Photo from April 2017.

Name: AMC Front-1400.jpg
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The former AMC HQ Building is abandoned and and has fallen into ruin.

I was surprised to read that American Motors called the Plymouth Road Office Center in Detroit their headquarters even after American Center was constructed in Southfield in the mid 1970's. Is this correct? I thought American Center served as the HQ for AMC from the time it was built.

In 1954, when Hudson and Nash merged, PROC became AMC's headquarters, until 1987, when AMC was purchased by Chrysler. At that point, PROC became the central engineering location for all corporate trucks and SUVs, a position it held until the building was cleared.

http://www.allpar.com/corporate/factories/PROC.html

American Center - AMC's corporate headquarters in Southfield, Michigan is still standing,[71] still open, and still called "American Center". The original "American Center" signage at the top of the building remained until 2005, although the AMC logo has been removed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Motors

**DetroitPlanner** · June-16-10, 02:28 PM

I was always under the impression that the had corporate office at both the tower in Southfield and at the old Kalvinator Plant on Plymouth. Renault operated mostly out of the Southfield office.

**R8RBOB** · June-16-10, 08:19 PM

I can remember that the Plymouth location was always listed as their headquarters up the point when Chrysler took over.

**detlump** · June-16-10, 08:39 PM

Quite an impressive place, easy to get lost in those offices. I used to go there back when I was an engineer working on Ram components. All the offices were marked by their pillar locations, so you used that code to find out where someone sat.

**jonathanlivingstonseagull** · June-16-10, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by detlump

Quite an impressive place, easy to get lost in those offices. I used to go there back when I was an engineer working on Ram components. All the offices were marked by their pillar locations, so you used that code to find out where someone sat.

Oh, I do agree that the Plymouth Road campus is impressive. It just blows my mind that AMC, with less than 2% of the domestic auto market share, built the 25 story American Center as their "headquarters" when they were already established in the PROC. WTF?

**R8RBOB** · June-16-10, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by jonathanlivingstonseagull

Oh, I do agree that the Plymouth Road campus is impressive. It just blows my mind that AMC, with less than 2% of the domestic auto market share, built the 25 story American Center as their "headquarters" when they were already established in the PROC. WTF?

I think the TPTB had a goal to move all their operations to the American Center and vacant Detroit just like other like KMart and AAA would eventually do but they discovered that America hate those ugly-ass Gremlins and those egg-shaped Pacers and the money wasn't there to justify the move. So what to do with the American Center? It was too much space for little fish AMC and they have to pay for the cost of the building so the oblivious move to make was to lease office space which is what they did.

Chrysler upon acquiring AMC owned the American Center and they could have used the building as their new headquarters and razed the Highland Park campus to build their tech center but they sold it and moved to Auburn Hills.

**jonathanlivingstonseagull** · June-16-10, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

I think the TPTB had a goal to move all their operations to the American Center and vacant Detroit just like other like KMart and AAA would eventually do but they discovered that America hate those ugly-ass Gremlins and those egg-shaped Pacers and the money wasn't there to justify the move. So what to do with the American Center? It was too much space for little fish AMC and they have to pay for the cost of the building so the oblivious move to make was to lease office space which is what they did.

Chrysler upon acquiring AMC owned the American Center and they could have used the building as their new headquarters and razed the Highland Park campus to build their tech center but they sold it and moved to Auburn Hills.

Yes, Bobby. In hindsight, AMC was ahead of the Big Three in many different areas, albeit a much smaller company with much larger obstacles. They played the compact car game with the imports WAY before GM, Chrysler or Ford were willing to and offered certain "upgrades" as standard on some of their vehicles long before the Big Three decided to. It would be interesting if they were still in the mix - especially what they would have done with Jeep. Nostalgia.

**detroitbob** · June-17-10, 02:43 AM

I grew up not far from the Plymouth Rd headquarters and there was a minor stink when the American Center in S'field opened and at that point AMC made a point of stating executive offices were at both locations and they were abandoning Detroit. A script that has been copied often since.

**R8RBOB** · June-17-10, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbob

I grew up not far from the Plymouth Rd headquarters and there was a minor stink when the American Center in S'field opened and at that point AMC made a point of stating executive offices were at both locations and they were abandoning Detroit. A script that has been copied often since.

I have no doubt that it was AMC intent to vacant Detroit and move their operations to Southfield but this was the 70's and we had an oil embargo, the invasion of the Japanese and the near annihilation of Chrysler. AMC may have gotten in the compact market early but once the Japanese brought their Honda and Nissans and their Datsuns over and the Big Three started making their crappie four-bangers that was all she wrote for AMC

**Hermod** · June-17-10, 08:27 AM

While the Big 3 often traded off on economic issues in their bargaining with the UAW, they were pretty insistent on maintaining "labor discipline" in their plants. AMC was economically strapped and had to yield more on labor discipline issues. My father visited their Kenosha, WI plant and said that it was impossible for them to maintain quality there with the work rules they had agreed to with the UAW.

UAW workers at the Big 3 [[and most supplier plants) made a lot of money and had great benefits, but they also had to work hard each and every day..

**Hermod** · June-17-10, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by jonathanlivingstonseagull

Oh, I do agree that the Plymouth Road campus is impressive. It just blows my mind that AMC, with less than 2% of the domestic auto market share, built the 25 story American Center as their "headquarters" when they were already established in the PROC. WTF?

AMC also owned AM General which produced a significant part of the US military truck fleet. When Renault purchased AMC, the government forced the spinoff of the defense business under the umbrella of AM General.

See history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM_General

AMC was more than the Gremlin and Pacer.

**biketech** · June-17-10, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

I think the TPTB had a goal to move all their operations to the American Center and vacant Detroit just like other like KMart and AAA would eventually do but they discovered that America hate those ugly-ass Gremlins and those egg-shaped Pacers and the money wasn't there to justify the move. So what to do with the American Center? It was too much space for little fish AMC and they have to pay for the cost of the building so the oblivious move to make was to lease office space which is what they did.

Chrysler upon acquiring AMC owned the American Center and they could have used the building as their new headquarters and razed the Highland Park campus to build their tech center but they sold it and moved to Auburn Hills.

My first new car was an "ugly ass" 74 Gremlin. Three speed on the floor, 6 cyl,red with a white side strip. I was stylin!

**econ expat** · June-17-10, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

AMC also owned AM General which produced a significant part of the US military truck fleet. When Renault purchased AMC, the government forced the spinoff of the defense business under the umbrella of AM General.

See history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM_General

AMC was more than the Gremlin and Pacer.

Funny how that all played out.
--AMC bought JEEP.
--AM General designs what will become the Hummer. Being associated with JEEP, it had a JEEP look to the grille.
--Later on, AM General starts Hummer brand for consumer sales.
--AM General Hummer division gets bought out by GM.
--GM designs H2, H3.
--GM gets sued by Chrysler[[JEEP) for designing a JEEP looking grille on the H2, even though that grille resembled the original Hummer grille, and GM owned the rights to the Hummer.

**Hermod** · June-17-10, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by biketech

My first new car was an "ugly ass" 74 Gremlin. Three speed on the floor, 6 cyl,red with a white side strip. I was stylin!

During 1976-78, I was traveling to Fort Knox, KY about once a month. Budget had the GSA rental contract for Louisville. They provided me with a succession of dilapidated Gremlins with an occasional upgrade to a dilapidated Pacer.

**biketech** · June-17-10, 10:32 AM

I think this is what sold me on the gremlin.And only $2995
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2CqOj5WpMs

**AuburnSpeedster** · April-20-13, 09:43 AM

I'm curious... I know Chrysler left this building during their bankruptcy... but what exactly is the condition of it now? I think it's a beautiful historical building [[HQ of AMC, after all!) and it would be a shame to see it as a ruin.

Does anybody know anything about what has happened to this building since 09?

**p69rrh51** · April-20-13, 11:31 AM

This image was taken on March 3, 2013.

**gazhekwe** · April-20-13, 06:08 PM

This has been HQ for many companies, Nash, Kelvinator, American Motors, AM General. Chrysler was there, too, but their HQ was in Highland Park then.
My mom worked in this building from 1964 to 1987.

Here is a thread on the building: http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...C-Headquarters

Another site that discusses its occupancy. Apparently it was occupied until quite recently.

http://www.allpar.com/corporate/factories/PROC.html

I would love to know its current condition and plans for its future.

**Ltdave** · April-21-13, 09:24 AM

thats a cool building! ive never seen it...

where is it [[besides Plymouth road lol)....

**Lowell** · April-21-13, 09:55 AM

You can read a lot more in this 2011 thread...

Plymouth Road Office Complex Off The Market? [[Old JTE)

**SMRJim** · April-21-13, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Ltdave

thats a cool building! ive never seen it...

where is it [[besides Plymouth road lol)....

It's at Plymouth and Hubbell [[halfway between Greenfield and Schaefer)

**gazhekwe** · April-21-13, 10:41 AM

Actually at Freeland, east of Hubbell, around 14300 Plymouth Road.

**p69rrh51** · April-21-13, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

Actually at Freeland, east of Hubbell, around 14300 Plymouth Road.

14250 Plymouth Road

**AuburnSpeedster** · April-21-13, 11:05 PM

Thanks for all the info guys! But there's one other thing I'm hoping someone can answer...

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Plymo...,0.005284&z=18

The google maps when zoomed into that "semi-birdseye" view or whatever you want to call it, it show the addition is gone. Is that all that was demolished? And when was that part demolished?

And on a side note... who owns this now?

**DetroitPlanner** · April-22-13, 08:52 AM

I wonder if that was done at the same time that they ripped down much of the McGraw Plant? What really makes the ripping down of the McGraw Plant odd was 15 years earlier they re-built 90 percent of it!

The Imperial Plant [[where they built the huge boats) was left unused for decades and was also in the general vicinity.

Mc Graw: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Plymo...,0.009645&z=17

Imperial:https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Plymo...,0.009645&z=17

I am unsure about who now owns it. It would not surprise me if it was still owned by the corporation set-up post bankruptcy to get rid of excess property.