The Framingham location was the center of several contentious tug-of-wars between Governor Michael Dukakis and local politician Anthony M. Colonna.

After the town refused to sell General Motors a 35-acre (140,000 m2), town-owned piece of property GM desired for the construction of a new paint and plastics facility,[3] Dukakis used the state's power of eminent domain to take the property from the town and sell it to GM so the company could construct the $224 million facility ($828,329,564 in 2023 dollars [2]).

Colona, head of the town department public works and a powerful local politician, had desired a new, unified DPW facility to be constructed on the site.

However, GM spokesperson Mark Leddy stated that local officials in Framingham were also partially to blame, declaring "You look at your labor climate, your relationship with the community and the quality of product being built at the plant" when explaining why the company chose to shutter the unit.

The administrative trust overseeing the former corporate assets has the property up for sale as of June 2012, but does not expect a buyer due to the nature of the facility.