The century‑old Packard Proving Grounds in Shelby Township stands today as an extraordinary example of historic preservation and adaptive reuse. It’s also a vivid reminder of what Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act makes possible when it is allowed to function as intended.
The Foundation is pleased to share a report published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation on the history of how it all came about and the importance of safeguarding Section 106.
Designed in 1927 by Albert Kahn, the Proving Grounds was once a sprawling, state‑of‑the‑art testing campus for one of America’s most storied automotive manufacturers. By the late 1990s, however, the site faced imminent erasure as demolition permits were issued and the future of Kahn’s Tudor Revival buildings hung by a thread.
Under the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s proposed 2026 rewrite of Section 106 regulations, the very safeguards that enabled the Packard Proving Grounds rescue would be weakened or eliminated. Had those proposed new rules been in place two decades ago, the Packard Proving Grounds would certainly have been lost.
The Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation shares this success story as both inspiration and warning. The preservation of the Proving Grounds demonstrates what Section 106 achieves when communities are empowered to speak for their own legacies. It also underscores what is at stake as proposed regulatory changes threaten to dismantle the very process that saved this amazing historic site.
See how the Packard Proving Grounds was saved.
