Fortune 500 company to move regional HQ to One Woodward building

[anonJD]

A press conference announcing that a couple hundred employees now have to drive an extra 30 minutes to work every morning. I'm sure they're all super thrilled to support #Detroit. A downtown Chicago firm doesn't even make a press release when they hire 200 people, but it's a freaking press conference, lede on local news, and makes the front page of every Detroit daily. God, we're f*cked.

[bailey]

A press conference announcing that a couple hundred employees now have to drive an extra 30 minutes to work every morning. I'm sure they're all super thrilled to support #Detroit. A downtown Chicago firm doesn't even make a press release when they hire 200 people, but it's a freaking press conference, lede on local news, and makes the front page of every Detroit daily. God, we're f*cked.

Then move to Chicago. Problem solved.

ps. from June's Chicago Crains...

Meade Electric Co. is moving its headquarters back to Chicago, according to the city.Meade, whose headquarters left the city in 1989 and currently are in southwest suburban McCook, has about 2,000 employees in the Chicago area, according to the city. Some 200 front-office employees will be at the headquarters permanently, with the rest of the workers visiting the facility for training and projects.
Most of the 200 front-office jobs already are in the Chicago area, though a small number will move to the new headquarters from Indiana.

from August:

August 25, 2014 4:45 pm •

DECATUR, Ill. — After 45 years in Decatur, Archer Daniels Midland Co. on Monday completed the move of its corporate office to Chicago.

The agricultural processing company said about 70 employees will be based in its global headquarters and customer center in downtown Chicago. Of those workers, it said 50 will be moving from Decatur and the rest will be new hires...

From April... after Duggan,DEGC and the MEDC dropped the ball..

Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently joined Method officials and architect William McDonough to unveil designs for Method’s first manufacturing facility in the U.S., located in the Pullman neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. The new facility is expected to bring nearly 100 new jobs to the city of Chicago, and Method plans to recruit local residents throughout the hiring process for the plant’s workforce.

then of course, there was Wells Fargo's move in 2013..

Today Mayor Emanuel and Wells Fargo & Company [[NYSE: WFC) Chairman and CEO John Stumpf announced the opening of the company’s new regional headquarters at the CME Center in the West Loop, affirming Wells Fargo’s long-term commitment to Chicago, and providing room for growth.

The new Wells Fargo regional headquarters on the Chicago River’s west bank is home to a wide range of business lines, including Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking, Equipment Finance, Global Banking, Insurance, Private Banking, Trade Services, Wells Fargo Securities, and others.

In total, the company now leases 14 percent more office space in Chicago than it did before the move. Wells Fargo has committed its presence at CME Center through 2028, with an option for 10 more years.


Wells Fargo has steadily increased its presence in Chicago during a challenging economy. For example:


Wells Fargo’s Private Banking team, which serves the investment needs of individuals and families, began work in Chicago just six years ago and now totals 100 team members.
The company’s Insurance Brokerage team in Chicago has grown from 15 to 40 in the last two years.
Wells Fargo’s Commercial Banking business in Chicago now ranks among the company’s largest nationwide.

Earlier last year...

Catamaran Corporation and Mayor Emanuel Announce Catamaran Innovation Center to Be Located in ChicagoJuly 24, 2013
Catamaran Corporation and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today that the pharmacy benefit manager [[PBM) will locate its national Innovation Center in Chicago, drawing top healthcare and business innovators to the city from across the nation. The 25,000-square-foot center is located at 300 North LaSalle in the city’s River North district and brings 50 Catamaran employees to Chicago.

Mayor Emanuel Welcomes emnos North America to Chicago, Creating More than 30 New Positions DowntownJuly 17, 2013
Today, Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined emnos U.S. Managing Director, Dr. Matthew Green, to welcome the global firm’s new North American headquarters to Chicago. emnos opens its office in Chicago with approximately 30 hires and is forecast to double in size to more than 60 employees at 300 N. LaSalle within the next year.

...you were saying?

[downtownguy]

^^ Nice job, bailey.

[Wesley Mouch]

A press conference announcing that a couple hundred employees now have to drive an extra 30 minutes to work every morning. I'm sure they're all super thrilled to support #Detroit. A downtown Chicago firm doesn't even make a press release when they hire 200 people, but it's a freaking press conference, lede on local news, and makes the front page of every Detroit daily. God, we're f*cked.

What a sourpuss.

Perhaps some of those employees live in midtown and have just had their commute cut from 45 min. to a walk? People I know who have located their business downtown from the suburbs found that their employee base does shift. Some don't want to commute in, and others are thrilled to do so.

We're not f*cked. Things are getting better. Regentrification will bring wealth of poor landowners in the neighborhoods next.

[313WX]

A press conference announcing that a couple hundred employees now have to drive an extra 30 minutes to work every morning. I'm sure they're all super thrilled to support #Detroit. A downtown Chicago firm doesn't even make a press release when they hire 200 people, but it's a freaking press conference, lede on local news, and makes the front page of every Detroit daily. God, we're f*cked.

Well, it's not front page news nor one of the top news stories in other cities [[unlike in Detroit), that's for sure...

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Regionally the same dollar is spent be it in Detroit or Southfield. It is not any different. People from Detroit work in Southfield and spend money there. It still supports the local economy and provides additional jobs to local people. The only place I see a line drawn separating Detroit from the suburbs is on a map. Economically it is one system.

What we want to do is concentrate on additional jobs and making our economy more diverse as a region. We all are in the same pool be it the shallow end or the deep end. When someone $h!ts it we are all impacted.

While I agree that adding new jobs and expanding is better, the relocation itself results in the spending of additional dollars and a boost to the economy. Movers are hired; build-outs take place; equipment and furnishings are changed. Same thing happens if I buy your house and you buy mine; we'd both end up spending and buying to get into and adjust the new space.

And I agree with the other posters that strengthening the urban core and putting a damper on sprawl are in and of themselves beneficial to the entire metropolitan region. Ultimately, a stronger core will result in additional "new" jobs being attracted to the area.

[TTime]

This is a pretty exciting win for Gilbert and it is appears that Southfield is not a sexy choice for office space at the moment. That being said, the urban sprawl that has occurred over the last few decades will continue to hinder the strength of the region. If Downtown becomes more and more desirable then places like Southfield will be forced to drop prices. It feels like there is potential for a long term back n forth pitting subsidies against plummeting real estate prices in the fight for commercial tenants. If this happens it will be good for tenants but maybe not so much for landlords and any potential development down the road.

[dtowncitylover]

What a sourpuss.

Perhaps some of those employees live in midtown and have just had their commute cut from 45 min. to a walk? People I know who have located their business downtown from the suburbs found that their employee base does shift. Some don't want to commute in, and others are thrilled to do so.

We're not f*cked. Things are getting better. Regentrification will bring wealth of poor landowners in the neighborhoods next.

Anon also seems to think everyone who works in the metro lives north of 8 Mile. Sorry but many of my coworkers here in Southfield live downriver or in western Wayne County where a commute downtown would be much shorter.

[313WX]

Anon also seems to think everyone who works in the metro lives north of 8 Mile. Sorry but many of my coworkers here in Southfield live downriver or in western Wayne County where a commute downtown would be much shorter.

As an eastsider, I would love nothing more than a commute downtown [[straight shot down Gratiot). I'm sure many eastsiders who are crosstown commuters would agree as well.

There's zero [[yes, zero) chance of that ever happening with my current employer though.

[jt1]

Regionally, it's zero sum. There's no net economic difference for the region between moving from Southfield to Troy or moving from Southfield to Detroit.

So you are saying that an average worker at the Tech Center spends the same as an average worker downtown and one employee's economic activity in one location is the same across the entire region. That would explain why there are so many in the 12 and Van Dyke corridor that have such a busy lunch rush.

[Hypestyles]

what downtown buildings are still decrepit and need renovating?

[Spartan]

what downtown buildings are still decrepit and need renovating?

Wurlitzer, Metropolitan, Book Tower, Stott Tower... to name a few prominent ones. Plenty of smaller ones here and there as well.

[SpartanDawg]

Wurlitzer, Metropolitan, Book Tower, Stott Tower... to name a few prominent ones. Plenty of smaller ones here and there as well.

The Metropolitan seems to be under some sort of renovations lately. and the Stott is not completely vacant [[sky bar and a few offices) although the company that recently purchased it seems to be doing worse to it than better.

[[Speaking of which, does anyone know if sky bar is still going? and if their top floor is still around?)

The wurlitzer is being secured and hopefully will find an owner soon.

The Book Tower is my absolute dream building to get renovated. If i had to pick any it would be this one that would get renovated asap. absolute beauty of a building. it's a shame seeing it sit empty

[Spartan]

[[Speaking of which, does anyone know if sky bar is still going? and if their top floor is still around?)

Sky Bar [[upstairs) has been closed for a while now, but the downstairs bar[[s) are still open. I think they re-branded as Capitol Grill or something like that, but not sure about any more details on it since I've been avoiding the place for the last 1.5 years or so.

[stinkytofu]

A press conference announcing that a couple hundred employees now have to drive an extra 30 minutes to work every morning. I'm sure they're all super thrilled to support #Detroit. A downtown Chicago firm doesn't even make a press release when they hire 200 people, but it's a freaking press conference, lede on local news, and makes the front page of every Detroit daily. God, we're f*cked.

I know an employee at Fifth Third that lives in a rather far out suburb and is quite excited for this move. Their commute will be substantially longer, but they are excited to be working in an ever more exciting CBD.

[Cliffy]

I know an employee at Fifth Third that lives in a rather far out suburb and is quite excited for this move. Their commute will be substantially longer, but they are excited to be working in an ever more exciting CBD.

Just wait until they have to pay double for gas and have to sit on I-75 in a traffic jam both ways and see how "exciting" it is. Your friend is going to be in for a reality check.

[SpartanDawg]

Just wait until they have to pay double for gas and have to sit on I-75 in a traffic jam both ways and see how "exciting" it is. Your friend is going to be in for a reality check.

see my post above... basically we are reversing sprawl. Said friend may decide to live either closer to the city or *gasp* in the city!

[Hermod]

Sky Bar [[upstairs) has been closed for a while now, but the downstairs bar[[s) are still open. I think they re-branded as Capitol Grill or something like that, but not sure about any more details on it since I've been avoiding the place for the last 1.5 years or so.

Capitol Grill is a chain owned by Darden [[Olive Garden). Small portions indifferently served at outrageous prices.

[motz]

Just wait until they have to pay double for gas and have to sit on I-75 in a traffic jam both ways and see how "exciting" it is. Your friend is going to be in for a reality check.

Gas prices are incredibly low right now, so that takes care of that point. Depending on where you are coming from, there are options for getting downtown that don't involve taking I-75. The Lodge, I-94, I-96, Woodward, Gratiot, Grand River, Fort, Jefferson... so that point is squashed. So, why would someone who is excited about working downtown not be excited about working downtown again?

[stinkytofu]

Just wait until they have to pay double for gas and have to sit on I-75 in a traffic jam both ways and see how "exciting" it is. Your friend is going to be in for a reality check.

What a pathetic mentality.

[DetroitPlanner]

5/3 was on Paul W this morning and announced that they are going to be participating in a major renovation of Hart Plaza that will reduce the amount of pavement and increase the amount of green space.

This is a welcome change that may not have come about if they stayed in the gold glass bunker on the Lodge.

[DetroitPlanner]

Sky Bar [[upstairs) has been closed for a while now, but the downstairs bar[[s) are still open. I think they re-branded as Capitol Grill or something like that, but not sure about any more details on it since I've been avoiding the place for the last 1.5 years or so.

It is the Capitol Park Grill.

[iheartthed]

Sky Bar [[upstairs) has been closed for a while now, but the downstairs bar[[s) are still open. I think they re-branded as Capitol Grill or something like that, but not sure about any more details on it since I've been avoiding the place for the last 1.5 years or so.

How long has Sky Bar been closed?

[DetroitPlanner]

How long has Sky Bar been closed?

Since the elevators broke and no one would fix them or be willing to walk up the stairs carrying gallons of booze and ice. [[Okay it could not get a COO due to the safety issues)
http://archive.freep.com/article/201...sible-eviction

[dtowncitylover]

Just wait until they have to pay double for gas and have to sit on I-75 in a traffic jam both ways and see how "exciting" it is. Your friend is going to be in for a reality check.

Uhhhh just like my coworkers here in Southfield that live in Ann Arbor, Milan, Richmond, and Toledo?