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Talk about an innovative approach to adaptive reuse. Ford Motor Co., which kicked off its major workspace reorganization by moving 1,800 employees into a vacant Lord & Taylor mall anchor in October, is planning to revamp two 60-year-old buildings for new office space.
The new digs, which will house its 30,000 employees in Dearborn, Mich., once the new towers come online in 2026, will both be green and tech-centric. The company says its current setup at the mall will inspire the design of its new campus buildings, including everything from the furniture setup to desk space.
Ford signed a 10-year lease with Starwood Capital Partners for the empty department store space, which it has since renovated into a modern workspace, MLive reports. The move opened up a new world of possibilities for mall owners trying to figure out how to replace thousands of shuttering retailers.
