Ford's Train Station

[bigboat]

I'm sure many of you have read that Ford is in financial hardship now. Mainly due to an 8 million recall 2022 and a leadership team that may not know just what to do next. I think Ford has stopped work on the Michigan Central Train Station. The old building has been closed up with any large opening covered with sheeting. No construction activity can be seen in or around the building.

[401don]

I doubt it. Way too much invested and too far along. Plus it would be impossible for Ford to keep it quiet.

[stasu1213]

It's almost completed

[Gistok]

This drone footage shows the building a month ago... most of the work is taking place on the inside... the MCS building inside is mostly not visible from the outside...

[bigboat]

I doubt it. Way too much invested and too far along. Plus it would be impossible for Ford to keep it quiet.

Look at some of the latest YouTube videos, there is no construction going on except the park area. The building has been secured plus, no construction equipment or trailers are visible anymore.

[Satiricalivory]

Oh boy, another wild Detroit doomer conspiracy.

[jcole]

As Gistok just said above, most of the outside is done.

[401don]

Look at some of the latest YouTube videos, there is no construction going on except the park area. The building has been secured plus, no construction equipment or trailers are visible anymore.

First video I pulled up there's a guy working at the back of the building as of yesterday [[3:21 mark):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLfO...BkYXRlLg%3D%3D

[ABetterDetroit]

Netting 10.4 Billion in 2022 isn’t exactly a “financial hardship” either…

[EGrant]

Yeah and they're just moving dirt around at the Hudson site these days too, right?

[K-slice]

Yeah and they're just moving dirt around at the Hudson site these days too, right?

Beat me to it.

[softailrider]

When developers are looking for investor's, it's not unusual for them to hire a guy with a bulldozer to move dirt around to give the appearence of things that are happening that really aren't. That isn't the case here, Ford has plenty of money - maybe more money than God.

[bigboat]

When developers are looking for investor's, it's not unusual for them to hire a guy with a bulldozer to move dirt around to give the appearance of things that are happening that really aren't. That isn't the case here, Ford has plenty of money - maybe more money than God.

Most of your comments are incorrect. Ford forced over 3000 salaried employees to retire last year and at least 500 upper management types as well. Ford lost over $2 billion last year and will require over $50 billion to develop its electric fleet of new vehicles. It does not have a bottomless pit of money as some of you may think. Ford is building a completely new Research & Engineering Center in Dearborn to replace the one that was torn down. Ford has also stopped work on autonomous vehicle development as the technology is just not there yet. That is what this building was for and not for Internal combustion development which Ford has basically stopped. These are facts not hearsay, conjecture or rumor. My comments are not a doomsday scenario either. I viewed the Gistok video and the back of the train station is far from completion

[Satiricalivory]

Ford is really hurting...

Ford sales jump as supply chain issues improve
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/02/ford...uto-sales.html

[EGrant]

I viewed the Gistok video and the back of the train station is far from completion

Way to move the goalposts. That video showed literal work going on, directly contradicting your original comment. What a lame attempt at trolling, just like your hilariously incorrect Hudson's commentary for years now. Very weird behavior.

[Gistok]

My comments are not a doomsday scenario either. I viewed the Gistok video and the back of the train station is far from completion

You do know that the very large Central School Depository near the MSC is also being worked on, with interior portions of the building being ripped out for an atrium area. Building trades find that with winter weather in Michigan being so lousy, doing inside work has its' practicality.

Apparently I'm not the only one who has noticed your "why isn't anything happening" posts.

When both Hudson's and MCS are done... we'll be sure to give you an "I told you so"...

[Richard]

Is there a grassy knoll by that school depository?

WASHINGTON [[Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said Thursday it will restart production of its F-150 Lightning on March 13 after it halted output of the electric truck after a battery fire in early February.

Ford has not set a date for resuming deliveries. The U.S. automaker said as it "ramps up production, we will continue holding already-produced vehicles while we work through engineering and parts updates."

Ford said an EV truck caught fire Feb. 4 during a pre-delivery quality inspection in a company holding lot in Dearborn, Michigan and spread to two other trucks. The automaker halted production the next day.

Ford shares were down 0.3% to $12.28 in midday trading.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-...173758103.html

Apparently they have a way to generate heat for the outside construction workers,unfortunately they just have to take a Uber home,cause their ride in is a one way ticket.

Saying Ford has more money then God is a stretch considering they are one of the lowest revenue generators of the manufacturers,everything is relevant.

If you do not build and deliver vehicles it might put a crimp on one’s finances,considering the rise in interest rates they may have slowed construction down accordingly,like everybody else.

Its not like they have a bunch of mason jars of cash buried in the back yard earmarked for MTS.

When your star product spontaneously combusts as you are doing a pre-delivery inspection it does not inspire confidence in the markets and your potential customer base.

All of that does play a part in the future.

Gotta give ‘em credit though,they passed the fix or repair daily aspect,and just went straight to the burn it to the ground part,just think of how much time future customers will save by not having to spend so much time at the dealership waiting on the vehicle to get fixed.

They just spent billions developing technology so their cars can repo themselves driverless,forget about the basics that will hinder them on the way,little things like,bursting into flames or breaking down on the way.

I would not believe MTS is priority 1 right now.

It would stand to reason people would be questioning the validity of the status of MTS,simply because nothing else seems to be going right with Ford about now,they seem to be a bit lost and their share price reflects that.

Wait,what am I thinking,it’s COVID’s fault,all is good,carry on.

They are focused on EV trucks,but are so far out of the scope of reality of what is driving the truck sales.

Small businesses that buy them to use commercially because HOAs allow them without signs.

Outdoors people that buy them for pulling boats and campers.

The lightning does not fit that bill,so the market is wanna be redneck soccer moms.

Take away that commercial and recreational aspect,you really do not have much of a market left,a market that everybody and their brother is trying to dominate and are a lot further ahead in the game then Ford.

Much touted Rivian has been crashing and burning also,other EV truck manufacturers have closed up shop and ceased to exist,billions have already been lost.

MTS plays a role in all of that because Ford is bleeding money and they are going to at some point prioritize and stuff that is not generating cash flow will take a back seat,as will lots of employees.

They already said they were laying off 8000 workers to finance the shift to EVs.

If they cannot get the EVs to market without them looking like a s’more ,and they laid off the workforce that was designing ICE vehicles that was their revenue generating source,not looking to promising in the near future anyways,plus the steam rolling economy is running out of steam.

[bigboat]

Apparently I'm not the only one who has noticed your "why isn't anything happening" posts.

When both Hudson's and MCS are done... we'll be sure to give you an "I told you so"... [/QUOTE]

I just made a comment and this is what this forum is supposed to be, people making comments. I never said Ford was abandoning the train station I only said it looks like they have slowed construction and it just may not open this year as originally planned. The long comment by Richard before this one is generally spot on as to where Ford is now.

[Burnsie]

I only said it looks like they have slowed construction

No, your first post says "I think Ford has stopped work on the Michigan Central Train Station."

[Pat001]

The train station project was launched pre-covid. Post-covid, no one wants to work in an office anymore.

[Richard]

They are spending a lot of money with intent,current trends are just that.

Times are good for workers right now and they are in a position to dictate terms but history shows what happens when the labor market shifts and those dictating terms now will be dictating terms to their home office walls.

It’s easy to fire or replace somebody virtual because there is no human connection,just a easily replaced face on a screen.

Look at the old days,Packard and architectural firms etc the designers were in a big open room where they shared ideas and innovated with human interaction,how does one build excitement for a project by flipping emails.

People got upset and blasted companies for mass firings through texts,so on one hand they want the ability to be virtual but if they did not miss that personal human interaction at the office,they would not have been upset over being fired with a text.

The whole basis of Fords MTS is a think tank of sorts and they have a world of talent to draw from,if somebody local decides they do not want to come into the office,there are thousands of others across the world who would love to come to this country and work.

If it comes down to that,Ford will do what they need to do in Fords best interests,yes they need employees but they have a world wide presence of designers,they do design and build cars in other countries.

Lots of technology companies are requiring workers to come back to work,look who comprises the majority their workforce,they are imported and those people came from hardship that most Americans have never experienced.

All it takes is one recession and a tough job market and watch how fast the current trend reverses,it always does.

Ford looks at the bigger picture,where as most of the public fights over a roll of toilet paper because they think in their mind there is never going to be a roll of toilet paper on the shelves,because there is not one there today.

People are caught up with the socialists workers party where the workers dictate terms to the employer,two words bring people back into reality,your fired.

You do not see it in the media but tens of thousands have been laid off in the last couple of years,if you want to work from home,you have to pay the rent to have a place to work from,hard to do that without a paycheck.

Outside of what people create in their minds,WFH has not altered things in the office space development world or the ability to fund,because it is recognized as a trend,they are not developed or funded based on what people think today in this moment in time.

In the downtown where I am at they are breaking ground on a 50 acre billion dollar development that includes food hall,office space,residential,hotels etc,the hotel,food hall,750 residential will be online in less then a year.

Thats what I find hard to understand in Detroit and all of these projects,in the development world,time is money,and as a rule they seem to piss around and take years to do anything.

Here they throw up 200 unit apartment buildings,malls,massive Amazon distribution centers in under 60 days of breaking ground.

Up there it’s like people are doing major projects as a side gig. That’s got to be expensive dragging all of that stuff out so long.

[bigboat]

No, your first post says "I think Ford has stopped work on the Michigan Central Train Station."

That is what can be seen from the latest YouTube videos. I sincerely hope Ford continues, but considering their economic
condition at the very least work has slowed to a snail pace. 2023 was originally the year of a grand re-opening of MTS, has anyone heard of any such activity?

[jcole]

You do realize that there are almost 10 more months in 2023 don't you?

That is what can be seen from the latest YouTube videos. I sincerely hope Ford continues, but considering their economic
condition at the very least work has slowed to a snail pace. 2023 was originally the year of a grand re-opening of MTS, has anyone heard of any such activity?

[bigboat]

You do realize that there are almost 10 more months in 2023 don't you?

They should complete the back of the building first, remove the sheeting from the large openings on the west side of the building and they can do something and we can start hoping for a grand opening. When Ford bought this building it was before Covid, before office workers decided they want to stay home and work from there. It was also before Ford had a 8 million recall year and also before Ford lost over $2 billion in 2022. But, no one from the official level is saying anything so don't hold your breath.

[401don]

While revitalizing MCS & Corktown is an added benefit, the main reason Ford is doing this was to attract talent. They perceived that young, hip I.T. professionals didn't want to be in suburban offices but rather in a cool urban environment and the station and surrounding area would be just that. While some may now like the idea of work from home, I don't think it will affect many of those that Ford hopes it will be able to attract.