Possible New Life for Michigan Central Station? Ford Motor Co. a Buyer? YES!

[401don]

This is one instance where Moroun could be a good corporate citizen with very little effort - just sell the MCS to Ford at a reasonable price, yet you just know they are trying to wring every last cent out of it they can.

[Zads07]

And just so we're all aware, it's the younger Moroun, not the older, that will be dealing with Ford on the deal

[emu steve]

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...b02baed1b991c9

[Hypestyles]

if ford does buy they need to buy everything and not leave any of the property to the DIBC nor should they agree to any trucking contracts with DIBC that don't already pre-exist.

[Atticus]

if ford does buy they need to buy everything and not leave any of the property to the DIBC nor should they agree to any trucking contracts with DIBC that don't already pre-exist.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ford throw a whole bunch of development under one giant proposal [[including MCS), and package it as the 2018 Detroit bid for the state’s New Transformational Tax Credit [[Gilbert got the Hudson’s block/Monroe Block/Book Tower) award for 2017... it could be Fords turn in 2018.

[emu steve]

Is this thread the de facto Corktown development thread?

https://twitter.com/kurt_nagl/status/993873507376422914

https://twitter.com/crainsdetroit/status/993868923798945793

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2018/05/08/detroit-tiger-stadium-development/34682629/

https://www.freep.com/story/money/bu...ium/589618002/

[Lowell]

Still sounds iffy from this shareholder's show-me-the-money slant and the reply.

"Given the company's dismal stock performance, please explain how the purchase of an abandoned train depot will add to shareholder value. If Ford does buy the Detroit rail station building in Detroit, will the building be devoted to just Ford or will parts of the building be leased out to other tenants?" the shareholder asked, according to a transcript.

Ford officials did not directly answer the shareholder's question about how it intends to use the train station, but the company's answer to shareholders hinted at the reasoning behind expanding its workforce presence in Detroit beyond The Factory building on Michigan Avenue that the company already has said will house 200-plus employees from its electric and autonomous vehicle teams.

"As a company we are in a race for talent when it comes to the vehicle, software and data engineers that are developing the autonomous technology and creating mobility experiences and services that will transform the way people connect and interact," the company said.

"That is why we continue to build out our presence in Palo Alto, advance our software capabilities at FordLabs in Ann Arbor, transform our Dearborn campus, and why we are moving our AV and EV teams to Corktown in Detroit. We expect to grow our presence in Detroit and will share more details in the future."

It's unclear just how much of Ford's AV and EV teams will be relocated to Detroit.

The company has not formally commented on its effort to build out a campus in Corktown and declined to say whether Ford's board of directors discussed purchasing the train station during a May 9 meeting, one day before the shareholder meeting.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...nce-in-detroit

[iheartthed]

Still sounds iffy from this shareholder's show-me-the-money slant and the reply.

I don't know if that matters as much for Ford. If the family is behind the idea then it would take a massive shareholder revolt to counter their voting power.

[emu steve]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...mpus/35001601/

All I can say is if Ford goes in they have to go ALL IN.

Prospective employees would want to work in a lively neighborhood and the neighborhood today has few amenities.

[jcole]

How lively is the area around The Rouge plant? Or for that matter, the engineering complex at The Henry Ford/Greenfield Village?

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...mpus/35001601/

All I can say is if Ford goes in they have to go ALL IN.

Prospective employees would want to work in a lively neighborhood and the neighborhood today has few amenities.

[emu steve]

How lively is the area around The Rouge plant? Or for that matter, the engineering complex at The Henry Ford/Greenfield Village?

All I can say, if Ford wants to heavily recruit millenials they better have more options than a Ford cafeteria.

[401don]

All I can say, if Ford wants to heavily recruit millenials they better have more options than a Ford cafeteria.

They don't need to live in Corktown or have much in the way of amenities. There are restaurants/bars that they can walk/bike to at lunch or after work. They can live downtown and have a 5 minute commute to work.

[bust]

Given a choice of working in Corktown or Dearborn it would be Corktown for me for sure. And I think the vast majority of young tech and design talent would share that opinion.

[softailrider]

All I can say, if Ford wants to heavily recruit millenials they better have more options than a Ford cafeteria.

Isn’t there a White Castle right by there on Michigan Avenue?

[emu steve]

Isn’t there a White Castle right by there on Michigan Avenue?

Yes. I haven't had a White Castle in years, but I will make it a point to stop in next month when I'm in Detroit.

[jcole]

They would be within a couple blocks of Mercury Bar, Slows, BobCat Bonnies, PJs, Nemo's, Ottavo Via, McShanes, Two James Distillery and that restaraunt on the side, Mexican town is two or three blocks away, etc

[bust]

And with an influx of so many workers with money to spend dozens more restaurants and other businesses would quickly open up to serve them. Of course.

[masterblaster]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...mpus/35001601/

All I can say is if Ford goes in they have to go ALL IN.

Prospective employees would want to work in a lively neighborhood and the neighborhood today has few amenities.

Corktown has:

-2 breweries
-a distillery
-various dive bars [[McShane's, Nemo's)
-various highly regarded restaurants [[Lady of The House, Ottava Via, Slows)
-various live music venues [[UFO Factory, Corktown Tavern, PJ Lager House)
-2 highly regarded Asian restaurants [[IMA and Takoi)
-a bike shop
-a used record store
-a burger bar [[Mercury)
-a wine bar
-a highly regarded deli [[Mudgie's)
-a highly regarded cocktail bar
-a bagel shop [[Detroit Institute of Bagels)
-a breakfast spot [[Brooklyn Street Local)
-a boutique hotel with hipster restaurant
-a couple clothing boutiques
-2 coffee shops [[a third, Anthology, is moving to Eastern Market)
-a new tattoo parlor
-an art gallery
-hardware/lumber store
-Chase Bank
-There are other businesses as well [[from Bobcat Bonnies to Farmer's Hand to the new Detroit PAL baseball field to Bucharest Grill)
-direct access to the West Riverwalk, a 24-hour bus line, an express bus line to the airport, at least 4 additional bus lines going thru it [[Vernor, Linwood, Fort, SMART BUS #200), Greyhound, walking distance to Mexicantown

I think the neighborhood has a decent amount of amenities.

[mtburb]

Corktown has:

-2 breweries
-a distillery
-various dive bars [[McShane's, Nemo's)
-various highly regarded restaurants [[Lady of The House, Ottava Via, Slows)
-various live music venues [[UFO Factory, Corktown Tavern, PJ Lager House)
-2 highly regarded Asian restaurants [[IMA and Takoi)
-a bike shop
-a used record store
-a burger bar [[Mercury)
-a wine bar
-a highly regarded deli [[Mudgie's)
-a highly regarded cocktail bar
-a bagel shop [[Detroit Institute of Bagels)
-a breakfast spot [[Brooklyn Street Local)
-a boutique hotel with hipster restaurant
-a couple clothing boutiques
-2 coffee shops [[a third, Anthology, is moving to Eastern Market)
-a new tattoo parlor
-an art gallery
-hardware/lumber store
-Chase Bank
-There are other businesses as well [[from Bobcat Bonnies to Farmer's Hand to the new Detroit PAL baseball field to Bucharest Grill)
-direct access to the West Riverwalk, a 24-hour bus line, an express bus line to the airport, at least 4 additional bus lines going thru it [[Vernor, Linwood, Fort, SMART BUS #200), Greyhound, walking distance to Mexicantown

I think the neighborhood has a decent amount of amenities.

Additionally, Corktown has two more rush-hour bus routes: the 89 Southwest Direct to Midtown; and another route to the airport, the local-stops 125. The Joy bus also goes through Corktown.

Corktown also features two fast-food chain restaurants: White Castle and Burger King.

The Michigan buses also connect downtown to Woodward transit services [[the local-stops 53, the express 461/462, Q-Line) and the Dexter bus, which all can be taken to the New Center Amtrak station; along with the Tunnel Bus to Canada. The 261 and 200 also connect to Dearborn's Amtrak station.

[313rd]

I'm hearing that there will be a Museum/Show Room in the Area for Ford.

[ABetterDetroit]

Corktown has:

-2 breweries
-a distillery
-various dive bars [[McShane's, Nemo's)
-various highly regarded restaurants [[Lady of The House, Ottava Via, Slows)
-various live music venues [[UFO Factory, Corktown Tavern, PJ Lager House)
-2 highly regarded Asian restaurants [[IMA and Takoi)
-a bike shop
-a used record store
-a burger bar [[Mercury)
-a wine bar
-a highly regarded deli [[Mudgie's)
-a highly regarded cocktail bar
-a bagel shop [[Detroit Institute of Bagels)
-a breakfast spot [[Brooklyn Street Local)
-a boutique hotel with hipster restaurant
-a couple clothing boutiques
-2 coffee shops [[a third, Anthology, is moving to Eastern Market)
-a new tattoo parlor
-an art gallery
-hardware/lumber store
-Chase Bank
-There are other businesses as well [[from Bobcat Bonnies to Farmer's Hand to the new Detroit PAL baseball field to Bucharest Grill)
-direct access to the West Riverwalk, a 24-hour bus line, an express bus line to the airport, at least 4 additional bus lines going thru it [[Vernor, Linwood, Fort, SMART BUS #200), Greyhound, walking distance to Mexicantown

I think the neighborhood has a decent amount of amenities.

Thanks for the list! It gives me a few more to check out.

Though I might skip the tattoo parlor...

[313WX]

If I had the money, I would definitely be buying up land / property in Corktown right now.

If you're talking about dropping as many as several thousand highly paid tech workers in that area, it's going to explode with growth / development.

[mikefmich]

Dare we hold our breath?

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...ove/636615002/

[Zads07]

I would say this is a pretty good bet to make. June is one week away, so only a few more weeks and we should have some details.

My guess, and I have no insider information or sources, just a gut thought, is that they'll announced on June 14-15.

[preserve]

How could you not have mentioned Mudgies?