Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Debuts New Farmington Hills HQ

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA (MBFS), which provides brand-specific financing and leasing products and insurance services, has opened its newly constructed corporate campus in Farmington Hills.
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The new Mercedez Benz Financial Services USA headquarters in Farmington Hills. // Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services
The new Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA headquarters in Farmington Hills. // Photography byJason Keen/Design by Gensler/The star in a circle is a registered trademark of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Stuttgart, Germany.

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA (MBFS), which provides brand-specific financing and leasing products and insurance services, has opened its newly constructed corporate campus in Farmington Hills.

The headquarters project, designed to support MBFS’ new hybrid workforce model, was completed within scope, on time and on budget, despite the backdrop of a global pandemic, company officials state.

With the help of project partners Olympia Development of Michigan (ODM), KIRCO MANIX, and Gensler Detroit, MBFS was able to use the new building project as an opportunity to envision and create a unique modern workplace.

“Our new headquarters is a testament to our vision for where we are going as a company and our dedication to being an employer of choice,” says Peter Henn, president and CEO of MBFS. “Our building represents our continuing commitment to our community, but also our focus on a forward direction…sustainability, flexibility, innovation, and the unmistakable spirit of luxury of the Mercedes-Benz brand are at the heart of this space. Through numerous changes and challenges, this project team proved to be second to none, creating something that exceeded our expectations.”

The lobby of the new headquarters buildings. // Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services
The lobby of the new headquarters buildings. // Photography by Jason Keen/Design by Gensler/The star in a circle is a registered trademark of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Stuttgart, Germany.

The new three-story, 200,000-square-foot MBFS headquarters building located on 35 acres at 35555 W. 12 Mile Rd. is only about one mile away from the company’s previous corporate home, continuing its commitment of investment in the Farmington Hills community.

MBFS and project partners worked collaboratively with an eye toward the real-time evolution of workforces and workspaces, through the hurdles of a global pandemic and the challenges of the Daimler Truck spin-off mid-project. Now complete, the new headquarters supports more than 700 team members from MBFS and Mercedes-Benz North America Corp., each working a flexible, hybrid-model split between work-from-office and work-from-home hours each week.

“Working together, we were able to provide a workspace that is perfectly suited for the MBFS workforce now, and well into the future,” says Keith Bradford, president of Olympia Development of Michigan. “Through this collaboration we were able execute on our strength as a creative, flexible and client-orientated partner that helps organizations prepare for the future through innovative workplaces that inspire people, connect community, and sustain the environment.”

Some of the features of the new LEED-certified MBFS headquarters include:

  • A variety of workspaces including private offices, individual and shared workstations, open collaborative areas, and social hubs.
  • Fifty meeting rooms and closed workspaces, from individual focus rooms to conference rooms for 20 people or more, with the latest in video and wireless conferencing technology.
  • Ten complimentary EV charging stations.
  • Pantries on each floor, including kitchenettes, seating, storage, and more.
  • Benz Beans, a coffee bar just beside the main lobby.
  • Star Café, open daily for breakfast and lunch, and anytime grab-and-go service.
  • A subsidized employee fitness center, called The Body Shop, open 24/7, including group classes, weightlifting, and cardio equipment, private locker rooms, and more.
  • Tech Stop, walk-up employee technology support area.
  • Enhanced security technology, including newly introduced employee facial recognition at main entrances.
  • Integration with nature that includes outdoor spaces and seating include a quarter-mile walking trail, dining patio, atrium spaces, and front entrance.
A closer view of the headquarters exterior. // Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services
A closer view of the headquarters exterior. // Photography by Jason Keen/Design by Gensler/The star in a circle is a registered trademark of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Stuttgart, Germany.

These features and amenities offer MBFS team members many of the conveniences and comforts of remote work, while enjoying the benefits of in-office work. The wide space and vaulted ceilings of the main atrium offer the perfect setting to celebrate cultural heritage holidays and mingle with colleagues at mixers following town hall meetings.

“As a Michigan-based business, we were pleased to have had the opportunity to team up with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Olympia Development of Michigan, and Gensler on this local project,” says Douglas W. Mannix, president of KIRCO MANIX. “We at KIRCO MANIX pride ourselves on being a true partner with the ability to handle complex and innovative corporate headquarter projects like this on time and on budget.”

Although it’s been in regular use for just over six months, the new MBFS headquarters has already earned award-winning status, receiving the 2022 “Real Estate Project of the Year” accolades from the Michigan Chapter of CoreNet Global, a nonprofit association representing nearly 10,000 executives with strategic responsibility for the real estate assets of large corporations.

A work space at the new headquarters. // Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services
A work space at the new headquarters. // Photography by Jason Keen/Design by Gensler/The star in a circle is a registered trademark of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Stuttgart, Germany.

“We were pleased to partner with such an incredible client; the MBFS team had a strong vision to create a refreshed, collaborative, wellness-driven experience for employees that reflects the shifting nature of work,” says Lily Diego, design director at Gensler Detroit.

“The design unites the legacy of the Mercedes-Benz brand with Michigan’s landscape, drawing inspiration from the local ecosystem that can be found in the colors, textures, and indoor/outdoor blend of environments throughout the building.”