RACER Trust, George W. Auch Company Complete Transfer of University Drive Property in Pontiac, Mich.

PONTIAC, Mich. — RACER Trust today announced it has completed the sale and transfer of 3.66 acres off University Drive in downtown Pontiac to George W. Auch Company (“AUCH”), a 109-year-old general contractor/construction management firm that will build its new corporate headquarters on the site.

AUCH plans to break ground on the project in May of this year. The company will build a 20,000-square-foot office building with the potential for future expansion. It expects to complete construction in March 2018.

“RACER Trust looks for reputable, community-minded buyers to help us fulfill our economic development mission, and AUCH certainly fits that description,” said Elliott P. Laws, of EPLET, LLC, administrative trustee of RACER Trust. “A company doesn’t stay in business as long as AUCH has without a strong commitment to its employees, its customers and its community. We are thrilled that the property is in such good hands and look forward to its beneficial reuse.”

AUCH will retain 40 to 50 engineering, construction management and administrative jobs in the city, in addition to the jobs that will be created during the design and construction phases of the project. The company will move from offices on South Paddock Street in Pontiac when construction is complete and plans to actively encourage and participate in the future redevelopment of that site.

The University Drive property is located at the east entrance to the Pontiac Downtown Business District. The new AUCH headquarters will be a significant milestone in the area's ongoing revitalization. 

“This project is a very tangible demonstration of our commitment to current and future generations of AUCH employees who will benefit from the world-class work space being created in this downtown setting,” said Vince DeLeonardis, President of AUCH.  “We have been looking for opportunities to expand and become a bigger presence in downtown Pontiac, and this transaction allows us to fulfill that vision and lay a foundation for even more growth in future years. We can’t wait to get started.”

AUCH, founded in 1908, has had its headquarters in Pontiac since 1985. It is consistently ranked in the top 10 of Southeast Michigan construction firms, and is the only construction company to earn a Top 100 Workplace Award for three consecutive years from the Detroit Free Press/Workplace Dynamics employee survey.

Overall, AUCH employs nearly 100 construction professionals and support staff in its management of approximately $150 million of annual volume in the educational, health care and municipal markets. A few of the AUCH projects under way in planning and construction include Masco Corporation’s world headquarters in Livonia, Mich.; Clarkston Community Schools’ 2016 Bond Program in Clarkston, Mich.; McLaren Health Care’s corporate headquarters in Grand Blanc, Mich.; and St. John Macomb — Oakland Hospital’s Vertical Expansion Project in Warren, Mich. AUCH also provides planning and construction management services for nearly 20 Michigan school districts and is active on more than 15 medical system campuses. In addition, AUCH provides construction services to higher education clients such as the University of Michigan, Schoolcraft College and Oakland University, as well as numerous municipalities including Oakland County, Macomb County and Rochester Hills.

“I couldn’t be more pleased and proud that AUCH is investing and growing in Pontiac,” said the city’s mayor, Dr. Deirdre Waterman. “AUCH is a wonderful corporate citizen whose development will be highlighted as the eastern gateway for the city of Pontiac. Keeping AUCH headquarters in Pontiac is great news for this city.”

About RACER Trust: RACER (Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response) Trust was created to clean up and position for redevelopment properties and other facilities owned by the former General Motors Corp. before its 2009 bankruptcy. RACER is one of the largest holders of industrial property in the United States and is the largest environmental response and remediation trust in U.S. history. When the Trust was formed, it owned properties at 89 locations in 14 states, principally in the Midwest and Northeast. The Trust was created by a settlement agreement in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court between the U.S. Government, the 14 states where the former GM properties are located, and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, which owns land adjoining one of the properties in Upstate New York. For more information, please visit our website.

About George W. Auch Company: Since 1908, AUCH has been providing planning, pre-construction and construction services in Southeast Michigan. Its concentrated presence in the area results in an unparalleled understanding of the local market and community. Major markets include Education, Healthcare, Municipal and Specialty projects — building quality facilities to reflect the client’s vision for over 109 years. AUCH employs nearly 100 full-time construction professionals and support staff. Executive managers, project managers and field supervisors are seasoned career professionals with an average of 17 years with AUCH and 25+ years in the industry. For more information, please visit www.auchconstruction.com.