Ford Motor Co. today announced it has started moving 600 employees into Wagner Place along Michigan Avenue in downtown West Dearborn. The project included the renovation of the historic Wagner Hotel at Michigan and Monroe Street, about a mile west of the automaker’s global headquarters, along with new space.
The mixed-used development will have first floor retail and restaurant space, along with second and third floor office space. At the end of September, Ford employees began moving into the second and third floor offices of the east and west buildings.
A percentage of the first floor retail and restaurant space was pre-leased to seven tenants by Mid-America Real Estate – Michigan Inc. Commercial tenants include Jolly Pumpkin Brewery, Orangetheory Fitness, The Great Commoner, Modern Greek Grill, Paradise Briyani Indian Cuisine, Eleanor’s Café Yogurtown, and a yet-to-be-named regional barbeque restaurant chain.
Over the last year, Ford has worked to transform two city blocks of what were largely vacant buildings into the project. The 150,000-square-foot mixed-use development will be certified for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and will be resource-efficient with water and energy conservation features.
“We are excited about the new business moving into Wagner Place, sparking excitement and growth in downtown West Dearborn,” says Dave Dubensky, chairman and CEO of Ford Land. “We are committed to the city we have called home for years, and proud to play such a role in offering even more to the community.”
The city of Dearborn was able to secure a $3-million grant from The Michigan Strategic Fund to construct a 373-space public parking structure on the southwest corner of West Village Drive and Monroe Street —– open to both Ford employees and the general public. The structure, along with other public lots and street parking, provides free parking.
Ford is moving 600 employees from the data insights and analytics team into the office space, and the automaker will create a public green space for both employee and public use. The green space is envisioned as a place for public events such as art fairs, a farmers market, local festivals, concerts, and more.
“The green space will be designed to complement the streetscape, and is something downtown Dearborn doesn’t currently have,” says Dubensky. “This will bring new life and a new feel to the area and to our employees, encouraging them to go out into the community.”
To create a more walkable downtown, the new buildings were strategically pushed back 10 feet from the street. The Wagner Place project is part of Ford’s 10-year campus transformation plan.
“This new space represents the evolution of our city,” says Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. “We’re looking forward to new businesses, new customers, and a renewed energy in our community.”
Ford offers a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Co., and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles, and mobility solutions. The automaker employs approximately 201,000 people worldwide.
