Ford sells iconic building in Dearborn to businessman with big plans for site

I'm looking forward to seeing what the new owner has in store for this mixed-use development. Hopefully we will see some 10-15 story buildings in the mix.
Ford sells prominent Dearborn office building; buyer envisions large mixed-use development
https://s3-prod.crainsdetroit.com/s3...Court-02_i.jpg

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Mike Shehadi paid an undisclosed amount for the Regent Court property, which has 660,000 square feet at 16800 Executive Plaza Dr., in a deal that closed Wednesday. The building opened in 1990 and is currently vacant.


Shehadi, who is the CEO of Farmington Hills-based PharmaScript of Michigan, said he paid less than $20 million for the building.


He also owns about 34 acres of land, also purchased from Ford, behind the building.Regent Court could ultimately become a mix of office and residential space, although the precise programming has not yet been determined.


The land at 17775 Executive Plaza Dr., purchased in early February, would become about 200,000 square feet of multifamily residential space. Whether the undetermined number of units would be for rent or for sale, or a combination of both, has also not yet been determined.


Shehadi said he is working with Neumann/Smith Architecture to develop a more concrete vision for the property. He said he also has met with Dearborn's mayor on his vision.


It "sits on the most prime location in the whole entire city of Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and surrounding communities," Shehadi said.

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https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...ffice-building

This building was where Ford's Marketing & Aftersales team was based [[in fact, this was where they ended up after vacating the Ren Cen).

Any word on where they'll be moving to?

I wouldn't call it iconic. It's just ugly freeway architecture -- I believe the style is called postmodern. So, zero aesthetic value.

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Originally Posted by Henry Whalley

I wouldn't call it iconic. It's just ugly freeway architecture -- I believe the style is called postmodern. So, zero aesthetic value.

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Laffs.

It may not be iconic, but if somebody decided to put a nice tondo of the Virgin Mary where the Ford sign is, the same size as the giant vent next to it, it probably could.

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Originally Posted by canuck

...Virgin Mary where the Ford sign is, the same size as the giant vent next to it, it probably could.

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Or even Stormy Daniels :)

Maybe back to the big house on Michigan? Is it fully occupied? Due to broad spectrum quality issues [excessive recalls, class actions, and forced extended warranties] Ford and Hyundai/ Kia are hemorrhaging money. That in part could explain the shedding of employees and excess buildings.

Ford quality chief retires as CEO tries to boost reliability, reduce recalls

'We are not satisfied at all with our quality performance'

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/11/03/...eWo3hTqjdFK5vq

Ford quality chief retires as CEO tries to boost reliability

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Originally Posted by 313WX

This building was where Ford's Marketing & Aftersales team was based [[in fact, this was where they ended up after vacating the Ren Cen).

Any word on where they'll be moving to?

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

Maybe back to the big house on Michigan? Is it fully occupied? Due to broad spectrum quality issues [excessive recalls, class actions, and forced extended warranties] Ford and Hyundai/ Kia are hemorrhaging money. That in part could explain the shedding of employees and excess buildings.

Ford quality chief retires as CEO tries to boost reliability, reduce recalls

'We are not satisfied at all with our quality performance'

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/11/03/...eWo3hTqjdFK5vq

Ford quality chief retires as CEO tries to boost reliability

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With the layoffs, buyouts and opening of MCS they'll have more than enough space.

That's a newish building. Seems like a waste if the whole thing is coming down.

The slightly older Prince Albert -- or was is George -- Hotel nearby is a much more appropriate demolition candidate.

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Originally Posted by Henry Whalley

Or even Stormy Daniels :)

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Yes, Stormy has a virginal quality to her, for sure:p

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

Maybe back to the big house on Michigan? Is it fully occupied? Due to broad spectrum quality issues [excessive recalls, class actions, and forced extended warranties] Ford and Hyundai/ Kia are hemorrhaging money. That in part could explain the shedding of employees and excess buildings.

Ford quality chief retires as CEO tries to boost reliability, reduce recalls

'We are not satisfied at all with our quality performance'

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/11/03/...eWo3hTqjdFK5vq

Ford quality chief retires as CEO tries to boost reliability

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Fix or repair daily,they clearly are not driving their own trucks,pay $80k for something one would not expect the windows to fall off of the track when it is under 40k miles.

Truck built to pull trailers but the rear charging port does not supply power until RPM is over 1500,took awhile to figure that out when even the dealer could not,they really need to stop building in all of the electronic gadget's and concentrate on building a reliable truck first,you kinda expect that stuff from a low end Hyundai,at least their windows go up and down.

When I saw the headline saying "iconic" I thought at first it was referring to the Glass House. What Ford just sold is not iconic, and does not register on the consciousness of the vast majority of non-Ford people.

I have a family member working on one of FOMOCO assembly lines.

He's noted the decline. Much from relying too much on outsourcing, poor manufacturing standards, engineering and over-relying on leasing revenues, and employee discounts where many 'flip' those vehicles before the problems start [though some Fords die during leased time-frames]. I'd never purchase another pre-owned Ford. They're not known for durability. Sales are low off-shores. Ford's third-quarter horrid as more realize the systemic quality issues beyond the exodus of their executive staff.

Sad. Too much folly and gambles didn't bow well either - such as that self-driving partnership that burned thru Ford and Volkswagen financial reserves:

Ford, VW pull plug on robotaxis in blow to self-driving car industry

Ford takes $2.7 billion hit as it drops efforts to develop full self-driving...

Whatever car you plan to buy [new or used] check recall levels here, especially for Ford and Kia/ Hyundai:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

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Originally Posted by Richard

Fix or repair daily, they clearly are not driving their own trucks, pay $80k for something one would not expect the windows to fall off of the track when it is under 40k miles.

Truck built to pull trailers but the rear charging port does not supply power until RPM is over 1500, took awhile to figure that out when even the dealer could not, they really need to stop building in all of the electronic gadget's and concentrate on building a reliable truck...

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Originally Posted by Burnsie

When I saw the headline saying "iconic" I thought at first it was referring to the Glass House. What Ford just sold is not iconic, and does not register on the consciousness of the vast majority of non-Ford people.

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Lots of truth to that,to me it looks like somebody stuck a blue oval on a old ATT building.

Now if they said Ford and the iconic train station,that would be more plausible.

On the world stage the media,when it references Detroit the first thing they always show is the Ren Cen no matter what manufacturer they are referring to.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

I have a family member working on one of FOMOCO assembly lines.

He's noted the decline. Much from relying too much on outsourcing, poor manufacturing standards, engineering and over-relying on leasing revenues, and employee discounts where many 'flip' those vehicles before the problems start [though some Fords die during leased time-frames]. I'd never purchase another pre-owned Ford. They're not known for durability. Sales are low off-shores. Ford's third-quarter horrid as more realize the systemic quality issues beyond the exodus of their executive staff.

Sad. Too much folly and gambles didn't bow well either - such as that self-driving partnership that burned thru Ford and Volkswagen financial reserves:

Ford, VW pull plug on robotaxis in blow to self-driving car industry

Ford takes $2.7 billion hit as it drops efforts to develop full self-driving...

Whatever car you plan to buy [new or used] check recall levels here, especially for Ford and Kia/ Hyundai:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

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I have a 2021 F250 SD 4x4 that I use for a dump trailer drop off vehicle,I have somebody else that operates it,they have the towing capacity and power train that is hard to beat,it’s just everything else that falls apart,I think their biggest market is the self employed small business use and they try to create all of the unnecessary trinkets instead of a rock solid truck.

They had the same problem back when they came out with the Mustang 2,at the shareholders meeting they asked the shareholders what needed to be done to improve.

I forget her name but a woman stood up and rattled off a list,so when they built the new mustang they would not release it until that lady got the first one and tested it and it had to meet her approval.

That little Mustang 2 sold at a record rate far above the competition.

Maybe because they actually listened to the buying public verses the attitude of this is what you get because we said so.

I have friends that bought the V8 Nissan Titian,they ran the hell out of them with over 200k miles with zero issues.If Datsun can do it how come ford cannot ?

You do not hear Datsun complaining about supply chain issues as an excuse. Ford should have never offshored that stuff in the first place.

If you are getting everybody else’s eggs in order to fill your basket all you are really doing is selling somebody else’s basket of eggs.

1983 Fords slogan was Quality is job 1,did not count for the escort but they were still building good trucks.

^ Oh yes - I'm familiar with Nissan trucks. I had a early 2000's Escort [purchased used for family]. It got over 200K with only a timing belt/ chain [don't recall which]. Paid a grand for it. Nice! Those were the days...:D...

A friend has a 2015 Lincoln SUV of some kind. Engine suddenly seized-up solid no warning [only 32K] while still under but nearing warranty expiration. She had to wrestle dealer to the ground for new engine, providing maintenance records, corporate headquarter calls. Running pretty good now - but really?