Detroit Automotive Heritage — Reimagined
Scotten Motor Works is transforming a surviving piece of Detroit's historic Clark Street Cadillac campus into a permanent destination celebrating automotive culture, preservation, craftsmanship and community.
Scotten Motor Works is based within the former Cadillac/GM emissions testing facility constructed in 1969 as part of the broader Clark Street Cadillac campus in Southwest Detroit.
Next door stands the former Cadillac/GM world headquarters and engineering building, constructed in 1963. Together, these buildings are among the last remaining vestiges of Cadillac's original Detroit manufacturing and engineering footprint.
What was once a center for engineering, emissions development, and prototype testing is now being reimagined as a destination for automotive gatherings, preservation, photography, and enthusiast culture.
Cadillac Motor Car Division · Engineering
Scotten Motor Works is becoming more than a car show — a permanent home for Detroit automotive culture, rising from the restored Clark Street Cadillac campus.
Current StatusRestoration updates, historical discoveries, construction milestones, and everything else shaping the next chapter of Scotten Motor Works.
Project Snapshot
Project Timeline
Scotten Motor Works occupies the former emissions testing facility constructed in 1969. Adjacent stands the former Cadillac Engineering headquarters completed in 1963.
Together they represent some of the last remaining pieces of the historic Clark Street Cadillac campus.
This restored architectural view shows the long-term vision for the Scotten Street campus: original GM-era modernist architecture cleaned, re-glazed, preserved, and reactivated as a destination for Detroit automotive culture.
Restored architectural rendering of the Scotten Street campus.
For decades, Cadillac's Clark Street campus stood as one of Detroit's great automotive landmarks. While much of the original factory complex is gone, important pieces of its engineering legacy remain along Scotten Street.
The surviving Cadillac Engineering and Emissions-era buildings are part of the next chapter: reactivated as Scotten Motor Works — a destination for car culture, community, restoration, and Detroit automotive history.
Understanding what came before is central to deciding what comes next.
Cadillac expands Clark Street operations.
World headquarters / engineering building completed.
Emissions testing facility constructed.
Production era winds down.
Scotten Motor Works restoration and revival.
Every improvement balances preservation with practicality.
The goal is to retain the industrial character that makes this place special while preparing it for decades of future use. Restoration-process photography will be added here as the work continues.
Mechanical, electrical, and structural work underway across the facility.
Fire, alarm, and safety systems being brought up to code.
Working through inspections and approvals required to reopen.
Clearing, stabilizing, and revealing the original facade and grounds.
Preserving signage, fixtures, and original architectural character.
Reopening the bays as working space for builds and gatherings.
Respect the lot. Respect the builds. Respect the history.
This destination is being built for classics, OEM+, imports, European, American, trucks, motorcycles, race cars, survivor cars, daily drivers, unique builds, and anyone who simply appreciates automotive history.
Heritage iron, preserved.
American horsepower.
Style, culture & community.
Detroit cruising tradition — craftsmanship, paint, hydraulics, and cultural heritage.
European engineering & driving culture.
Japanese enthusiast culture.
Heritage racing spirit.
Rare & exceptional.
Two wheels. Endless freedom.
Built to ride.
Cars. Architecture. Detroit history. Community.
Soon you'll be able to explore the Scotten Motor Works campus, follow each restoration project, and discover the history behind every building.
The inaugural Scotten Motor Works gathering will celebrate the reopening of the facility and the beginning of a new chapter for the historic campus.
The date will be announced once the restoration timeline is finalized.