Belanger Park River Rouge
NFL DRAFT THONGS DOWNTOWN DETROIT »



Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 58

Hybrid View

  1. #1

    Default Blues lead way back to urban core

    BY TOM WALSH

    DETROIT FREE PRESS COLUMNIST



    LANSING -- Last weekend, the second wave of 300 Accident Fund employees moved into their new downtown corporate headquarters, conjured from the shell of a long-dormant 73-year-old power plant and transformed into an eco-friendly, high-tech showplace.

    And next week, on May 2, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the state's largest health insurer and owner of Accident Fund, will begin moving nearly 3,000 employees from Southfield into Renaissance Towers 500 and 600 in downtown Detroit.

    Those back-to-back moves will cap the biggest shift of a major Michigan employer's workforce from suburbs to urban downtowns in recent memory. When the RenCen move is completed, Blue Cross will have more than 7,750 full-time and contract workers located in the downtowns of Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids.

    In all, 97% of Blues' workers in those three regions will be in the urban cores, up from 49% a few years ago.


    Continued at: http://www.freep.com/article/20110424/COL06/104240439/Tom-Walsh-Blues-lead-way-back-urban-core?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

  2. #2

    Default

    I wonder if the push to move back to the cities is coming from upper management or from the workers or both. If I were an employee, I would support an urban location, especially with gas prices going the direction they are. If I was upper management, I'd want the high visibility and prestige of being in an urban center. I read a study once that found that companies are substantially more productive when located in urban environments, which is thought to be the result of proximity efficiencies and the faster pace of life.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    5,067

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BrushStart View Post
    I wonder if the push to move back to the cities is coming from upper management or from the workers or both. If I were an employee, I would support an urban location, especially with gas prices going the direction they are.
    I don't understand this. Given that BCBS has been in Southfield for decades, and given that far more folks live in the northern and western suburbs than in Detroit, wouldn't it stand to reason that this will involve further commutes with larger gas bills for the vast majority of workers?

    Downtown is on the edge of the metro, on an international frontier. You have essentialy no employees coming from points south. Southfield is in the very geographic heart of the region.

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bham1982 View Post
    Downtown is on the edge of the metro, on an international frontier. You have essentialy no employees coming from points south. Southfield is in the very geographic heart of the region.
    Not to people who live downriver. If you look at a map, downtown is centrally located to the majority of the metro area.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    5,067

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Detroitej72 View Post
    Not to people who live downriver. If you look at a map, downtown is centrally located to the majority of the metro area.
    I guess we'll agree to disagree, because I don't see this at all.

    I see downtown on the very fringe of the metro. Canada and Lake St. Clair aren't supplying workers, and Detroit proper and Downriver have relatively small worker counts.

    The population center would likely be somewhere around Southfield.

    And, it's purely anecdotal, but from my two years working downtown for a professional firm, I don't think 10% of employees worked in the city proper [[and none, to my knowledge, were from Canada).

    I would bet that if you took a Detroit firm and a Southfield firm, and then drew a 10-15 mile radius around their respective workplaces, you would capture a ton more employee residences in the Southfield firm. IMO, Southfield, as unattractive as it looks, has an incredibly convenient location, with easy access to basically everywhere, from Downriver, to Livingston, to Macomb.

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bham1982 View Post
    I guess we'll agree to disagree, because I don't see this at all.

    I see downtown on the very fringe of the metro. Canada and Lake St. Clair aren't supplying workers, and Detroit proper and Downriver have relatively small worker counts.

    .
    Not true at all. In fact appprox. 5,000 Windsor/Essex county residents work in the Detroit area. Most work at the hospitals close to downtown and many do in fact work in the downtown area.

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bham1982 View Post
    I don't understand this. Given that BCBS has been in Southfield for decades, and given that far more folks live in the northern and western suburbs than in Detroit, wouldn't it stand to reason that this will involve further commutes with larger gas bills for the vast majority of workers?

    Downtown is on the edge of the metro, on an international frontier. You have essentialy no employees coming from points south. Southfield is in the very geographic heart of the region.

    Live downtown...thats the goal!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    5,067

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gthomas View Post
    Live downtown...thats the goal!
    If that's BCBS overriding goal, then obviously they made the correct choice.

    If, however, they place a higher importance on attracting and retaining talent, they would probably be better off in Southfield. Closer to most people's current residences, higher salaries due to no city tax or parking costs, and much more convenient to most decisionmakers.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bham1982 View Post
    If that's BCBS overriding goal, then obviously they made the correct choice.

    If, however, they place a higher importance on attracting and retaining talent, they would probably be better off in Southfield. Closer to most people's current residences, higher salaries due to no city tax or parking costs, and much more convenient to most decisionmakers.
    BCBS, Quicken, and other companies might be thinking towards the future. Sure, a lot of their current, Baby Boomer and older Gen X staff might enjoy the life of the northwest suburbs, the lifestyle of the Millenials [[or Gen Y) has already proven to be a clear and defined shift. The 30 and under crowd [[such as myself) are the generation that grew up in the outer ring suburbs and exurbs. Many of us didn't really care for it all that much in retrospect. We want a more urban, less automobile oriented lifestyle. Therefore, the most talented among us are going to gravitate towards jobs in areas that allow us to have that lifestyle [[hence why 60% of my MSU alumni friends currently live in the city of Chicago).

    Companies are realizing that if they want to be able to compete for the best talent among this current generation of young employees, that they are going to have to shift their model [[and even their location) to make themselves as attractive an employer as they can be to these new workers. In the long run, moving back to the urban core is probably in the best interest of many companies.

  10. #10

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bham1982 View Post
    If that's BCBS overriding goal, then obviously they made the correct choice.

    If, however, they place a higher importance on attracting and retaining talent, they would probably be better off in Southfield. Closer to most people's current residences, higher salaries due to no city tax or parking costs, and much more convenient to most decisionmakers.
    This reminds me of the thread about Oakland County's economic development brochure with the big picture of Somerset on the cover.

  11. #11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bham1982 View Post
    Downtown is on the edge of the metro, on an international frontier. You have essentialy no employees coming from points south. Southfield is in the very geographic heart of the region.
    Chicago's downtown is on the edge of the metro, on a lake. You have essentially no employees coming from points east. Oak Park is in the very geographic heart of the region... or is that Naperville?

  12. #12

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by English View Post
    Chicago's downtown is on the edge of the metro, on a lake. You have essentially no employees coming from points east. Oak Park is in the very geographic heart of the region... or is that Naperville?

    ***crickets

  13. #13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin View Post
    ***crickets
    Isn't that the way most big cities are???? Most major cities are on water as that is how the original settlers arrived to the area and developed the city. Yes, I believe the population center of the metro area is around 10 Mile and Southfield Road in Southfield. I'm sure most major downtowns aren't in the middle of the population center. Think about the word "DOWNTOWN", it's called that for a reason.

  14. #14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by English View Post
    Chicago's downtown is on the edge of the metro, on a lake. You have essentially no employees coming from points east. Oak Park is in the very geographic heart of the region... or is that Naperville?
    I can't think of any downtown that is at the geographic center of an American metropolis located near a major water system. Downtown is almost always at the point of origin for the city, and for major American cities that usually means near a port.

  15. #15

    Default benevolent BCBS

    This is a nice discussion about urbanism, etc., but BCBS is not moving into urban centers because of any greater mission to promote city living.

    BCBS is moving people and money into these cities - and getting Tom Walsh to write about it - because it is fantastic leverage for later on with the cities and the Legislators in Lansing who represent those districts.

    God knows they can afford to do it. So if you can turn your HQ into 1) positive publicity, and 2) [[even more) political clout, might as well.

    And in the process, they are hopefully accomplishing a great deal of good in those cities, which is nice for all the rest of us.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    5,067

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by iheartthed View Post
    I can't think of any downtown that is at the geographic center of an American metropolis located near a major water system. Downtown is almost always at the point of origin for the city, and for major American cities that usually means near a port.
    I can think of relatively few downtowns hat aren't at the geographic heart of the region.

    Most are, such as

    NYC
    DC
    LA
    Philly
    Dallas
    Houston
    Phoenix
    Charlotte
    Nashville
    Pittsburgh

    But geographic convenience is more than just finding the region's population center. The question is convenience for whom? Like it or not, corporate space decisions are based on the preferences of executive decisionmakers.

    And executive decisionmakers, for the most part, live in Oakland County. That's why Oakland County, generally speaking, has a natural advantage in terms of corporate space decisions.

    Take NYC. Why is Midtown Manhattan the nation's [[arguably the world's) premiere office district? Why are rents much higher than on Wall Street, for example? Becuase of convenience to the Upper East Side [[the richest NYC neighborhood), and because of Grand Central Terminal [[access to wealthiest suburbs).

  17. #17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by iheartthed View Post
    I can't think of any downtown that is at the geographic center of an American metropolis located near a major water system. Downtown is almost always at the point of origin for the city, and for major American cities that usually means near a port.
    I know. I was being snarky...

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    5,067

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by English View Post
    Chicago's downtown is on the edge of the metro, on a lake. You have essentially no employees coming from points east. Oak Park is in the very geographic heart of the region... or is that Naperville?
    Totally apples and oranges. Chicago has a large number of white collar professionals living within city limits, and Detroit has few. Chicago also has a large commuter rail network, and Detroit has none.

    But even Chicago has been losing business and people to the suburbs for 50 years of non-stop decline. In fact, Chicago's population loss is second worst in the nation, behind only Detroit.

    And Chicago's downtown real estate market [[commercial and residential) is basically a disaster, with the second largest year-over-year declines in the nation. Only Vegas is worse.

    But downtown Chicago will remain vital because it has a resevoir of corporate talent, and easy access to suburban talent. Downtown Detroit would be a convenient location if decisionmakers and workforce lived in the city in large numbers, but they don't. They mostly live in Oakland County.

  19. #19

    Default

    Having been involved with such moves before, the wishes of the employees were not taken into account. The interests of management in having a "prestige address" and in being "politically correct" always outweigh the burdens placed on workers especially in a down economy [[If you don't like it, quit). As a result, the workers will just have to suck it up and have more misery added to their daily commute plus the burden of expensive and inconvenient parking. The poor guy with three kids and an upside down mortgage can't afford to move into an "upscale loft".

  20. #20

    Default

    Great News...They understand the importance of using urban cores as a economic hub. Major cities attract more educated, creative, young professionals. THEY UNDERSTAND that you have to be in a certain environment to expose talent and where it thrive well...Downtown. Its simple and make sense...Blue Cross: 3000 employees by mid May- Quicken Loans 2000 employees by year end, Downtown will be dramatic...keep it coming!

  21. #21

    Default

    And I hear that the Blues have also found their way to Ann Arbor, spending thousands of dollars to lease an expensive suite in the recently refurbished Big House. [[Your premium dollars at work.) Is there truth to this or is this just another urban myth? I know they were taken to task a few years ago for questionable spending on condos in Florida for their Directors, but leasing a suite for home football games does not seem to be pinching pennies to give Blue Cross/Shield subscribers the best possible insurance coverage for their dollars.
    Again, I would love to have a confirmation or denial of this lease arrangement. Go Blue[[s)?

  22. #22

    Default

    Let's be honest, the 'burbs were never built for young people. If Michigan wants to get on a level playing field with the rest of the world we have to improve the walkability of all of our cities. It's not about getting rid of suburbia, it's about giving people options. If you look at the cities with healthy economies, they're the ones whose states actually support them, and whose suburban residents don't mind the commute because of the benefits a healthy downtown brings the region.
    Very well said, Detroit needs to be vibrant for the whole region to gain momentum. Having your HQ in Southfield does nothing to attract young talent, especially since there is nothing to do in Southfield. They aren't worried about how they are going to think when they are 40, you have 20 something year olds that are worried about how they want to live their life now. Settling down is a thing for the future, and companies need to worry about bringing in young talent. I am in my mid 20s and live in downtown Detroit and love it, despite all the criticism Detroit receives.

  23. #23

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by p1acebo View Post
    Very well said, Detroit needs to be vibrant for the whole region to gain momentum. Having your HQ in Southfield does nothing to attract young talent, especially since there is nothing to do in Southfield. They aren't worried about how they are going to think when they are 40, you have 20 something year olds that are worried about how they want to live their life now. Settling down is a thing for the future, and companies need to worry about bringing in young talent. I am in my mid 20s and live in downtown Detroit and love it, despite all the criticism Detroit receives.
    I agree...I live downtown and wouldnt live anywhere else in the region! The best for my money..truthfully! Better than most fancy, overrated suburbs community. Just saying...and to note that all these criticism comes from people who has no UNDERSTAND. To understand something you have to go through it..Experience counts...I have it.

  24. #24

    Default

    * UNDERSTANDING*....little correction.

  25. #25

    Default

    OMMMMGGGG!!!! The last four post are on POINT on what I have been trying to explain to some of these confuse people who probably dont no JACK about what a REAL city should be. Most that dont understand probably lived in the suburbs...? Lets worry about NOW, and worry later. The solution is there, so tackle it and move on....smh. It make me sick how this region is soooooo backwards!! They're more focus on suburbs than urban cities...DONT CARE IF LIVE IN A SWAMP, TURNED FAKE COOKIE CUTTER COMMUNITY...OH HOW SO NICE. Who told you to live that far from your job...move closer. DENSITY + YOUNG-TALENTED PROFESSIONAL = CURRENCY, JOBS, REVENUE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Instagram
BEST ONLINE FORUM FOR
DETROIT-BASED DISCUSSION
DetroitYES Awarded BEST OF DETROIT 2015 - Detroit MetroTimes - Best Online Forum for Detroit-based Discussion 2015

ENJOY DETROITYES?


AND HAVE ADS REMOVED DETAILS »





Welcome to DetroitYES! Kindly Consider Turning Off Your Ad BlockingX
DetroitYES! is a free service that relies on revenue from ad display [regrettably] and donations. We notice that you are using an ad-blocking program that prevents us from earning revenue during your visit.
Ads are REMOVED for Members who donate to DetroitYES! [You must be logged in for ads to disappear]
DONATE HERE »
And have Ads removed.