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Ford Eyeing $1 Billion Upgrades to Dearborn Research, Engineering Base

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Ford Dearborn Research and Innovation Center

Ford will be undertaking a decade-long endeavor to bring its research and engineering base in Dearborn to a more contemporary state, an investment likely to be to the tune of around $1 billion.

According to Automotive News (subscription required), a report from affiliate publication Crain’s Detroit Business states that Ford could be dropping $1 billion toward modernizing its research and engineering campus in its home city. A request for proposals document obtained by Crain’s outlines demolition and construction, upgrades to infrastructure, an increased emphasis on green spaces and areas for employee commiseration, and more parking.

A Ford Land Development Corporation representative reached out to AutoNews on Friday for a bit of the ol’ nothing confirmed, nothing denied, but brokers and architects in the area say that it would only make sense for Ford to reinvigorate its facilities.

“Based on what I know about that environment and what they have accomplished since then, anything they can do to improve that core asset and development arena would be so positive for the community, for Ford,” said Mark Woods, COO of Detroit area real estate firm Signature Associates Inc.

Currently, the center employs 13,000 individuals, and the upgrades would suggest that Ford could be creating more jobs at the complex within the near future. Sources say that the renovations should be complete by 2018.

News Source: Automotive News (subscription required)