News

Gresham Smith Announces Expansion into the Detroit Metropolitan Area

Firm Has Signed Lease to Operate Southfield Town Center Office

Gresham Smith, a top-ranked national architecture and engineering firm with more than $290 million in annual gross revenue, has expanded its operations into the Detroit metropolitan area. The firm’s office is located in the Southfield Town Center.

Gresham Smith has a longstanding history of serving automotive clients. The firm is currently designing facilities for numerous premier automotive lithium-ion battery manufacturers and suppliers, including Ultium Cells, a joint venture of General Motors and LG Energy Solution; NextStar Energy, a joint venture of Stellantis and LG Energy Solution; L-H Battery Company, a joint venture between Honda and LG Energy Solution; Envision AESC; Duksan Electera America; and LG Chem.

Additionally, Gresham Smith has delivered projects in Michigan for a variety of other clients, including Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Jackson National Life Insurance Company and McLaren Greater Lansing hospital. Gresham Smith is actively hiring local professionals for architectural and engineering positions.

“Loving where you work, who you’re working with, and what you’re working on is important to us, which is why we strive to create a culture that fosters collaboration, innovation and inclusivity. Detroit’s legacy as a center of manufacturing excellence, as well as the area’s strong colleges and universities, means there is tremendous talent in the region, and we hope to attract professionals who share our values and want to design world-class projects that create healthy and thriving communities,” said Rodney Chester, CEO and Board Chair of Gresham Smith.

The office is led by Charles Poat, AIA, LEED AP, a Vice President who recently joined the firm’s Industrial market. He has more than  25 years of experience advising clients on high-profile projects, including the Ford Rogue Industrial Complex; the Harley Davidson Sportster Plant and Visitor Center; automated vehicle test track facilities at M-City and Willow Run; and most recently the Ford Global Technology and Business Center Mexico. Charles is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Engineering Society of Detroit, and he previously served as former Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council Detroit Chapter.

The Detroit team also recently welcomed Henry Montague, P.E., a Senior Mechanical Engineer with more than three decades of experience designing mechanical systems for a variety of project types. His impressive portfolio of automotive research, design and manufacturing facilities includes projects for Chrysler, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes and Toyota. Henry is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers and serves on the Capstone Project Student Advisory Board at Lawrence Technological University.