GM Tech Center Shakes Off Flooding, Gets ‘Back to Work’

General Motors employees return to the automaker’s suburban Detroit technical center in full force today after heavy rainfall flooded the facility two weeks ago and suspended operations at two buildings.

“Everyone is back to work,” GM spokeswoman Katie McBride tells WardsAuto.

The 704-acre (285-ha) facility in Warren, MI, closed Aug. 12 after record rainfall, and most of its 19,000 hourly and salaried employees were back in their offices by end the end of the week. However, damage to the design and R&D buildings kept those sites shuttered until this morning.

McBride says GM has not placed an estimate on the flood damage, as cleanup crews continue to mop up basements where high water interrupted electrical service.

“We had some serious problems,” GM product development chief Mark Reuss told journalists on Aug. 15.

The 58-year-old GM Tech Center serves as the global hub for the automaker’s vehicle development. Reuss did not expect any delays to vehicle programs because employees were working from home or at other GM sites.

Some design employees feared the worst last week, telling WardsAuto their building was devastated. Today, they say, conditions are better than expected as they work to the hum of large trucks pumping in air conditioning.

[email protected]