The City of Southfield is the premier business address in Michigan. With more than 26 million square feet of office space and over seven million square feet of retail and industrial space – Southfield is truly Michigan’s undisputed business center. In fact, Southfield boasts more office space than the central business districts of Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis or Kansas City. Southfield is home to over 9,000 businesses including more than 80 “Fortune 500” companies. Why do so many companies chose Southfield? Simply put, because Southfield offers businesses advantages that others cities don’t. An impressive 98 percent of the City is accessible to high-speed fiber optics, broadband and satellite services, and several backbones traverse the community. The City’s extensive infrastructure, access to a footprint of citywide fiber optics and central location are just a few of the many reasons why businesses choose Southfield.
More than 350 high-technology, information-technology, and telecommunications firms have a corporate presence in Southfield, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Comcast, LDMI, Level 3 Communications, and MCI. More than 90 software development companies also have a presence in the city, including the industry’s largest: IBM, Microsoft, UGS Corp., Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems, and many others.
Other key high-tech industries represented in Southfield include major electronic media and satellite facilities such as Hughes Satellite, national affiliates ABC, CBS, FOX, The CW Television Network (formerly WB Network) and Infinity Broadcasting, parent company of five metro-area radio stations. Healthcare and life science-based businesses also abound in Southfield, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Care Network, St. John’s Providence Hospital, Housey Pharmaceuticals, Lumigen and several others.
Some of the world’s leading research and development firms are also based in Southfield, including Lear Corporation (world headquarters), Denso International (North American headquarters), BASF, GE, Honda Research and Development America, Eaton Corporation, Sverdrup Technologies, Panasonic Automotive Electronics, Autoliv Electronics - North America and many others.
The City of Southfield is the original home of the Automation Alley SmartZone™, the Great Lakes Interchange, one of the first State-designated high-tech and information technology clusters. The Michigan Legislature and Michigan Economic Development Corporation developed the concept of SmartZones in an effort to promote high technology business development and job creation in the region. The Great Lakes Interchange provides a centrally located site where technology-based firms, entrepreneurs and researchers can work in close proximity to a wealth of other community assets. With a cluster of companies that are established on both a national and global scale, the Great Lakes Interchange region is ranked third in the nation for the number of technology companies and fourth in total employment in high-tech industries. Oakland County, Lawrence Technological University, Oakland University, and Automation Alley are all partners in the Great Lakes Interchange SmartZone. Our SmartZone has contributed in building Michigan’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading technology states.
Southfield’s central location provides easy access to numerous metro-area freeways, major highways and Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Southfield’s central location places it just 20 minutes away from almost every metro-area destination. The city’s extensive hotel industry and business travel accommodations–including more than 20 hotels and extended stay facilities–also make Southfield an ideal location for conventions, conferences and business meetings. Nearly 200 restaurants make dining in Southfield a pleasurable experience for business entertainment or a family night out, ranging from continental cuisine to national chains, neighborhood delis and the best in ethnic dining.
With a daytime population nearing 175,000, a diverse, multi-industry business environment, and a convenient central location – Southfield is truly an international center of business and commerce. Come see today what Southfield has to offer your business!