New owner for Free Press, Detroit News printing plant

Gannett Co. Inc., newspaper giant, has purchased the Sterling Heights facility where the Detroit Free Press & Detroit News, USA Today, New York Times and many other publications are printed.

A deed shows that Gannett Publishing Services LLC sold the property — known as the Detroit Media Partnership Sterling Heights Operations Facility — to Sterling Heights Mound LLC, which is connected to Industrial Commercial Properties LLC, based in Solon, Ohio.

The purchase price of the item is not known.

Wayne Pelland (SVP at Gannett), stated in an email that Gannett has signed a long-term lease agreement for the property at 6200 Metropolitan Parkway. He also said that Gannett does not intend to move. Gannett also owns the press and equipment. Gannett prints 32 daily publications, as well as many weekly and commercial products.

Christopher Semarjian is the CEO of Industrial Commercial Properties. He said that while the property will continue to produce newspapers, a portion of four acres of land could be used for other building development.

Semarjian stated that “we are very bullish about Detroit and the suburb markets.” “We own millions of square footage in the area and consider it a great place for long-term ownership.”

In recent years, Industrial Commercial Properties has been very active.

In 2018, the company bought 182 acres from the site of the former Ford Motor Co. Wixom assembly facility.