A New Era: Ford Moves Its Headquarters After Seven Decades
Ryan Sun AP
Ford Motor Co. is preparing for a big move after nearly 70 years. The historic automaker is relocating its headquarters just three miles away within Dearborn, Michigan, to a brand-new 2.1 million-square-foot building set to open in November. This new facility will be known as the Ford World Headquarters and will be part of a larger campus named the Henry Ford II World Center, honoring the founder’s grandson and current executive chairman Bill Ford’s uncle.
Ford’s current headquarters, famously called the Glass House and located at 1 American Road, has been in use since 1956. At the time, it was one of the largest single-company office buildings in the United States.
Ted Ryan, Ford’s heritage and brand manager, said the company plans to keep the 1 American Road address with the move, signaling a commitment to continue innovating for the future. The new headquarters, just a 5-10 minute drive from the old site, aims to foster creativity by bringing corporate leaders together with design and engineering teams. It will accommodate around 14,000 employees, most within a 15-minute walk of the main building.
The facility will include six design studios, a massive 160,000-square-foot food hall open to all employees, wellness and mothers’ rooms, plus over 300 tech-equipped meeting spaces.
Built on the grounds of the former Product Development Center—where President Dwight Eisenhower participated in a groundbreaking closed-circuit TV event in 1953—the site has a rich legacy. It’s where iconic American vehicles like the Mustang, Thunderbird, and F-Series trucks were developed.
Ryan highlighted the deep connection between Ford and Dearborn, saying, “If you think of Dearborn, you think of Ford, and if you think of Ford, you think of Dearborn.” He added that multiple Ford family members feel a personal connection to the headquarters, viewing it as a family home.
Meanwhile, General Motors is also relocating its headquarters, leaving its landmark Detroit River location for a new office in downtown Detroit.
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