GM FOUNDATION DONATES $2.5 MILLION TO COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES

By Joseph Lichterman, autonews.com - The General Motors Foundation announced a $2.5 million donation to the College for Creative Studies here this morning.

CCS, with an enrollment of nearly 1,400, is one of the world's leading art and design schools. It offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in 11 disciplines and Master of Fine Arts degrees in two majors.

The GM Foundation's grant will support the continuing $145 million redevelopment of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education. The Taubman Center is the former Argonaut Building, a one-time GM research laboratory.

"The quality of young designers that CCS educates and trains is a tremendous resource for Detroit and the world," GM North America President and GM Foundation board member Mark Reuss said in a statement. "Working to strengthen CCS is critical in our attempts to help Detroit rebound economically and for us to win in the marketplace."

GM donated the space to CCS in 2008 and the college opened the Taubman Center in 2009.

CCS President Richard Rogers said in the statement that more than $50 million has been donated to the redevelopment project by the CCS trustees, private foundations, corporations and individuals. Rogers said at least $4 million more in donations is needed to keep the project on track.

"In addition to developing world-class creative talent, the project is generating 200 jobs, bringing 2,000 people a day and creating a bustling ambience to Midtown, adding to this area's renewed vitality," Rogers said in the statement.