1,800 Ford workers are calling Fairlane Town Center home for 10 years

Posted on March 9, 2017

For Fairlane, landing Ford as a tenant gives it a long-term tenant and brings 1,800 potential shoppers at a time when malls are struggling to retain anchor tenants.

More than 1,800 Ford employees have moved into retail space previously occupied by Lord & Taylor and other retailers at Fairlane Town Center and will work out of the mall for the next 10 years while the automaker renovates a number of its offices in Dearborn.

Ford said 240,000 square feet of unused mall space, formerly occupied by as many as 26 retailers, has been converted into Ford’s new “Town Center Office.”

The workers, who finished moving in in January, will occupy that space while Ford works on a redevelopment plan that has been estimated at more than $1.2 billion.

Ford said last year that it has begun renovating assortment of nearly 70 disconnected buildings along Oakwood Boulevard in Dearborn as well as its headquarters and is transforming them into a more modern office campus.

Ford Town Center is a new office space for 1,800 Ford

Ford Town Center is a new office space for 1,800 Ford workers in Dearborn at Fairlane Town Center (Photo: Ford Land)

Ford’s project includes the renovation or construction of more than 7.5 million square feet of work space, studios and labs. About 4.5 million square feet of that space will be either new or renovated space for research and development.

Some of the workers are engineers but most are from Ford’s purchasing department.

The automaker said the office is designed to encourage healthy habits in an open work environment.

The office space includes walk-up work stations and treadmill desks that are set at a 2 mile per hour pace. Ford said the space promotes wellness by helping people feel healthier, more energized and accomplished while burning a few calories in the process.

“The proximity and design of Fairlane Mall, along with its on-site amenities, support our transformation in offering multiple conveniences for our employees. It is a win-win for us and the community,” said Dave Dubensky, chairman and CEO, Ford Land.

For Fairlane, landing Ford as a tenant gives the mall both a stable, long-term occupant and adds a large number of potential shoppers every day at a time when malls are struggling more than ever to retain anchor tenants.

“Retail has shifted so much over the years and Fairlane is no different,” Fairlane Town Center general manager Rita Nelson said in a statement. “We have more than 125 stores and restaurants but like much of the industry, we have expanded to include other opportunities.”