Downtown Office Market Bests Southfield

[animatedmartian]

What are the chances that Google would move from Ann Arbor to downtown Detroit?

http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/wash...pace-for-lease

Ann Arbor is considered a separate metro so it wouldn't make sense for Google to make that move. The offices they would likely move if the were to relocate downtown would be the offices in Birmingham. But it seems pretty unlikely for that to happen, even as Detroit continues to improve given how well Birmingham is doing.

[rb336]

Ann Arbor is considered a separate metro so it wouldn't make sense for Google to make that move.

That is becoming less and less true. With MiTrain, it will be a moot point.

[MAcc]

Some of you are deeply troubled. The cancer moving from 8 Mile to 12 Mile is nothing to celebrate.

[Don K]

they'll be able to draw people from all over the region with the more central location.

I'd take issue with the idea of downtown being more central than Southfield. I mean look at a map. Downtown is off at the edge of the metro, whereas Southfield is pretty central to where people actually live. I recall reading after the 1980 census that the center of population of the area was somewhere like 8 Mile and Greenfield. Detroit is one of those metros [[like Boston and Los Angeles) that has a hard boundary on one side [[in our case the international border) that limits how far the population can expand in one direction.

I have no problem with downtown prospering [[in fact I welcome it), but I'd argue it's not because of a more central location than other office centers.

[animatedmartian]

I'd take issue with the idea of downtown being more central than Southfield. I mean look at a map. Downtown is off at the edge of the metro, whereas Southfield is pretty central to where people actually live. I recall reading after the 1980 census that the center of population of the area was somewhere like 8 Mile and Greenfield. Detroit is one of those metros [[like Boston and Los Angeles) that has a hard boundary on one side [[in our case the international border) that limits how far the population can expand in one direction.

I have no problem with downtown prospering [[in fact I welcome it), but I'd argue it's not because of a more central location than other office centers.

But the thing is that the freeways all don't lead to Southfield. 696 is pretty much the main thoroughfare into Southfield that isn't a surface road. Southfield Freeway only enters from the south but no major route from the north side [[basically funneling most traffic onto 696). And generally, it's not very desirable to have traffic build up on surface roads when you consider all the red lights. Geographically, Southfield is central to the metro, but with the current infrastructure set up, it could never handle the whole metro's population coming into it.

Detroit, on the other hand, despite how carved up the city is by freeways, actually makes it pretty easy to reach downtown from any direction. Not even including the radial surface streets. That's what people usually mean when they consider it 'centrally' located.

[drjeff]

Ann Arbor is considered a separate metro so it wouldn't make sense for Google to make that move. The offices they would likely move if the were to relocate downtown would be the offices in Birmingham. But it seems pretty unlikely for that to happen, even as Detroit continues to improve given how well Birmingham is doing.

Google is only in Ann Arbor in the first place because one of Google's founders is a UM alumnus.

[tkelly1986]

How many folks are employed by Google in Ann Arbor? And what about Birmingham?

[ABetterDetroit]

Cheap office space is good thing to have around, I nominate Southfield.

[animatedmartian]

How many folks are employed by Google in Ann Arbor? And what about Birmingham?

There's about 400 employees in Ann Arbor. In Birmingham it's probably around 100-150.

[tkelly1986]

There's about 400 employees in Ann Arbor. In Birmingham it's probably around 100-150.

Let's talk hypothetically; if Google were to consolidate their employees in Downtown Detroit, what building could fit 500-600 employees and appease the need for a trendy, open work space?

Off the top of my head, I thought about:

Ford Field? One Detroit Center? My assumption is that neither are ideal because Google would want their name atop a building. What about moving Galaxy E Solution to somewhere like 1505 Woodward [[48K square feet) and Google in 1001 Woodward? [[just thinking out loud here)

[Khorasaurus]

Let's talk hypothetically; if Google were to consolidate their employees in Downtown Detroit, what building could fit 500-600 employees and appease the need for a trendy, open work space?

Becoming the lead tenant in the Penobscot Building might make sense. It has a lot of available space, but I'm not sure how much of it is contiguous.

They could also be the lead tenant in a Hudson's Site or Monroe Block development, or the Book Tower...

[Scottathew]

I'd take issue with the idea of downtown being more central than Southfield.

When you think of downriver in addition to Oakland and Macomb, Downtown might be more central. Southfield freeway gives a pretty good route from downriver to Southfield, but it would be quicker to go to Downtown from downriver.

The western suburbs have straight-shots via 94 and 96 to downtown, where if they want to go to Southfield they have to go east, then north.

The roads in the region are pretty much designed with downtown Detroit as the center hub. However, there are several other mini-hubs in the region that have a lot of roads leading to them, including some freeways. For example, Southfield and Pontiac.

If Pontiac was able to resolve some of its issues, it would be a pretty awesome location to start building up. It has great proximity to place that are often thought as "pretty far out there".

Not to say that Southfield isn't a good location, it most certainly is. However, many companies seem to be leaning toward the "urban"-ness of Detroit, the bustling street, parking your car during the day and walking downtown to meetings, to eat, to the park, etc...

I feel the Downtown offer a good location, as well as a much better experience.

[Mind field]

Ann Arbor is considered a separate metro so it wouldn't make sense for Google to make that move. The offices they would likely move if the were to relocate downtown would be the offices in Birmingham. But it seems pretty unlikely for that to happen, even as Detroit continues to improve given how well Birmingham is doing.

Mobius Microsystems left Ann Arbor for downtown Detroit back in the mid 2000s. While Mobius was a much smaller company, and Google likely doesn't need any help with recruitment or name recognition. The reasoning for Mobius' move was for a more central location and potential better recruitment of talent. They discovered that most all of their employees were commuting downtown from Ann Arbor so they actually moved back to Ann Arbor before moving back to Silicon Valley.

Unfortunately i don't think Google would move to Detroit just because Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County are probably where a vast majority of Google employees already live. Also, Ann Arbor is Michigan's premier tech hub and i think downtown Detroit, even with it's revitalization, would be a hard sell for Google. But it's nice to dream of Google being the main tenant of a building on either the Hudson or Monroe block.

Maybe they could move the Birmingham office downtown tho? That would be great.

[gameguy56]

If Pontiac was able to resolve some of its issues, it would be a pretty awesome location to start building up. It has great proximity to place that are often thought as "pretty far out there".

Pontiac pretty much tells you everything you need to know about Oakland County's priorities. It butts up against some of the wealthiest zip codes in Michigan but has very little if any investment. Auburn Hills was created essentially for suburban cheap land in the Pontiac school district that wouldn't have any of Pontiac's other services.

Pontiac could be a great place for chrysler employees and other folks to enjoy as an urban oasis in the middle of ugly sprawlsville that is that part of Oakland County.

Instead it's basically treated as nothing, nowhere. A place to get mexican food [[maybe)

[Bham1982]

P
Pontiac could be a great place for chrysler employees and other folks to enjoy as an urban oasis in the middle of ugly sprawlsville that is that part of Oakland County.

There's no "urban oasis" in Pontiac. It's a rundown suburban town of disposable 20th century bungalow housing. It makes Detroit look like Hong Kong in terms of urbanity.

It also didn't help that they have always had horrible elected officials.

Auburn Hills is mostly in another school district, BTW.

[animatedmartian]

Mobius Microsystems left Ann Arbor for downtown Detroit back in the mid 2000s. While Mobius was a much smaller company, and Google likely doesn't need any help with recruitment or name recognition. The reasoning for Mobius' move was for a more central location and potential better recruitment of talent. They discovered that most all of their employees were commuting downtown from Ann Arbor so they actually moved back to Ann Arbor before moving back to Silicon Valley.

Unfortunately i don't think Google would move to Detroit just because Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County are probably where a vast majority of Google employees already live. Also, Ann Arbor is Michigan's premier tech hub and i think downtown Detroit, even with it's revitalization, would be a hard sell for Google. But it's nice to dream of Google being the main tenant of a building on either the Hudson or Monroe block.

Maybe they could move the Birmingham office downtown tho? That would be great.

I honestly think if Google wanted to be in Detroit, they'd open a new office entirely.

[Scottathew]

Pontiac pretty much tells you everything you need to know about Oakland County's priorities. It butts up against some of the wealthiest zip codes in Michigan but has very little if any investment. Auburn Hills was created essentially for suburban cheap land in the Pontiac school district that wouldn't have any of Pontiac's other services.

Pontiac could be a great place for chrysler employees and other folks to enjoy as an urban oasis in the middle of ugly sprawlsville that is that part of Oakland County.

Instead it's basically treated as nothing, nowhere. A place to get mexican food [[maybe)

Keep in mind that the county can try to steer and lure investment, but ultimately, it's the investors who choose.

Today, Pontiac's crime and piss-poor school district keep commercial and residential investors out.

Pontiac does seem to be making progress on crime since contracting out to the sheriff.

I do agree that it has so much potential, although I think it will take a long time for something to come of it.

[D_Town]

Anyone know how many employees work at the microsoft office in southfield?

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Gee....another let's crap on the outer ring suburbs thread. I thought this was a discussion on empty office space Southfield vs Detroit?