R&D and Light Assembly Space for Medical Device and Engineering Firms

What this tenant type actually needs

• A real office component, not a desk in a warehouse. Engineering, program management and client meetings need conditioned, finished space. Both Northville and Novi pair finished office with shop area in one suite. See Flex Space vs Warehouse vs Industrial.
• An address that helps you recruit. Underrated. Engineers and technical staff have options. A professional address in Northville or Novi, drawing from western Wayne and southern Oakland, competes better than an industrial back lot at the same salary.
• Clean, conditioned shop space. Assembly, calibration and test work often needs stable temperature. All warehouse suites at all three properties are heated. Warehouse air conditioning varies by suite, so confirm if your process is tolerance-sensitive.
• Electrical capacity for test and assembly equipment. Confirm what reaches the suite panel before signing.
• Somewhere clients can actually visit. Storefront entrances at both Northville and Novi make a customer or supplier visit straightforward in a way a loading bay does not.

Which property fits

Northville Research Center — the name is not accidental. Small-bay industrial, flex and office with retail-style storefronts facing Seven Mile, 16-foot clear, 12-foot grade-level doors, 1,278–5,800 SF, ample parking, zoned light industrial, $20/SF/YR MG. Existing tenancy includes professional services and light industrial users. Between Plymouth, Livonia and Novi with I-275, I-96 and M-14 access, a strong catchment for technical staff.

Z Novi Commons, Novi — heated flex suites at roughly 80 percent warehouse to 20 percent finished office, 15-foot ceilings, 10-foot drive-in doors, glass storefronts, 24/7 access, building surveillance, 1,475–2,800 SF at $17/SF/YR MG. Good for a small engineering or device firm needing office plus prototyping in one place.

Rankin Business Park, Troy — if your operation is more production than development, Rankin gives you 16'–18' clear, 14-foot doors, dock-high in select suites and up to 10,000 SF at $11.95/SF/YR MG, in Oakland County's technical labor and supplier core.

Approvals to confirm early

Light assembly and production are core suited uses at all three properties, subject to approval based on equipment, power, noise, vibration, ventilation and materials. If your process involves solvents, adhesives, coatings, regulated materials or anything requiring exhaust, raise it at letter of intent stage. See Michigan Industrial Zoning.

If you are a medical device firm with cleanliness or documentation requirements, say so early. Some of what you need is buildout that can be negotiated into the deal. See Tenant Improvement Allowance.

Frequently asked questions