Ford Motor Co. is embarking on a journey to a new location in a couple of months. The renowned car manufacturer will be relocating its headquarters to a newly built facility just three miles away in Dearborn, Michigan, marking the first move in seven decades.
The upcoming 2.1-million-square-foot structure will be officially named “Ford World Headquarters” upon its scheduled opening in November. Situated within a larger campus to be known as the Henry Ford II World Center, the new headquarters pays homage to Henry Ford II, the grandson of the company’s founder and the uncle of Bill Ford, the current executive chairman.
Ford’s current headquarters, fondly known as “The Glass House” and positioned at 1 American Rd. in Dearborn since 1956, will be replaced by the new facility. Ted Ryan, Ford’s heritage and brand manager, affirmed that the iconic address will transition to the new headquarters to continue the company’s legacy of product development for the future.
The Glass House is set to be demolished, with Ford anticipating the completion of its relocation by the first half of 2026 and the commencement of exterior demolition in 2027. The new headquarters, a mere five to 10 minutes away, aims to foster collaboration and innovation by bringing corporate leadership closer to design and engineering teams, conveniently placing 14,000 employees within a short walk of the main building.
Featuring six design studios, a spacious food hall spanning 160,000 square feet accessible to all Ford employees, wellness rooms, designated mothers’ spaces, and over 300 tech-savvy meeting rooms, the new headquarters is designed to provide a conducive working environment. In a similar vein, General Motors is also in the process of relocating its headquarters from its traditional location along the Detroit River to a new office building in downtown Detroit.
Bill Ford emphasized the importance of creating attractive work environments to draw top talent, noting the new headquarters as a significant asset in talent acquisition. The new headquarters occupies the former site of the Product Development Center, a historic location where notable American vehicles like the Mustang, Thunderbird, and F-Series trucks were conceived.
Reflecting on the strong historical ties between Ford and Dearborn, Ted Ryan highlighted the close association between the two entities. The upcoming move represents a transition to a fresh start for Ford and its workforce, with a nod to the rich automotive heritage that has defined the company for generations.