Hot off the presses! Detroit Free Press printing facility in Sterling Heights to close

It is the end of an era for newspapers in Metro Detroit as the Sterling Heights printing press will be shutting down in August. 

The backstory:

The NEWS and Free Press have been printed in Sterling Heights on 16 Mile and Mound since 1972. Mayor Michael Taylor 700,000 square-foot building on 40 acres of land has had a history and made an impact on Southeast MIchigan. 

"That facility has had a history in Sterling Heights with the strikes that occurred before my time in the early mid 90s, and you know that Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News are  staples in this community," said Taylor.

Officials report that the owners of the Free Press, Gannett, did not come to terms with the landlord to renew the lease.

The owners released a statement, saying: 

"Where our newspaper is printed does not impact our ability to deliver outstanding journalism. The Detroit Free Press will continue to provide readers with quality, local content that matters most to them, and to connect our valued advertising partners with the customers they want to reach."

What's next:

"We have almost no industrial vacancy in Sterling Heights. So I’m confident that any job losses for the local economy will just be very temporary, and they’ll be replaced with hopefully high-paying good manufacturing jobs there," said Taylor.

115 jobs will be lost and the printing of the NEWS, Free Press, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the New York Times and about 25 other papers will be printed elsewhere.

"My understanding is that the new owners of that building bought it about a year ago, and they bought it not to be landlords but to develop it with good manufacturing jobs there," said Taylor.

The last paper will roll off the presses on Aug. 3.

The Source: FOX 2 talked with Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor and Free Press owner Gannett.

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