Won’t you be our neighbor?
The new DBC HQ is a small business and creator paradise — and you’re invited.
We’ve all seen the places. The pristine white walls and generic art. The strategically placed (if not a little underwatered) houseplants. At high noon, it’s a sea of glowing laptop logos and hunched-over folks. As the day winds down the space empties out, leaving no trace of the work that was done or the people who did it.
That’s not this place.
The new DBC HQ exists to serve entrepreneurs. It knows what they need and gives it to them. Heck, it may even know what they need before they realize it. We founded this new space on the belief that the most meaningful work happens under the banner of Freedom. What happens when you’re free to manifest your vision and free from unnecessary distractions? Magic.
Midwest is best.
Neighborhood, that is. DBC HQ is located smack in the middle of a big neighborhood that city hall calls “Midwest.” The jury is out whether this is the appropriate historical name for the 5 sub-neighborhoods that make up Midwest, but name or no name the facts remain: Midwest is an excellent old neighborhood with entrepreneurial roots going back 100+ years from the nascent beginnings of the auto industry through to 2021.
Small mixed commercial shops and eateries line both sides of Livernois, the main avenue. New productive neighbors along the industrial beltway running north to south offer meat-and-potatoes foundational services including steel fabrication and heavy truck repair. Outside this beltway stand historic homes inhabited by dutiful, engaged residents with a handful of active block clubs.
Whatever you call it, this is the neighborhood where stuff gets done.
The Former F.M. Envelope Factory Building
“LINK-BELT ERECTS NEW WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE AT DETROIT!” declares the December 9, 1924 issue of Brick and Clay Record. Questionable preposition use and defunct niche publications aside, this is a huge news for us at Whatever Works nearly 100 years later. What B.H. Lundahl, the manager of the Link-Belt Detroit Office said then could go into today’s press release: “[We have] grown with the City of Detroit and we are very optimistic regarding our future. We are confident that [our] establishment…in Detroit will enable us to materially better heretofore good service, thus being of greater benefit to our many customers throughout this territory.” Well said, Lundahl!
Over the years this building grew to accommodate several different manufacturing operations and now embodies nearly 50,000 sq. ft. of high-bay, roller-door accessed manufacturing space. Our improvement scope of work approaches with a light touch, restoring what was good from the jump and improving intelligently where required.
The Plan
The current scheme of DBC HQ takes cues from the natural delineation of space in the building, carving units for 13 light industrial and office tenants. DBC HQ will also leverage its sizable lot to offer four leasable shipping containers as storage for existing or new tenants.
This building is not without its share of surprises – tenants and visitors enjoy access to the Jungle, a shared circulation vein that runs North/South through the building and dripping with plants, sunlight, and art.
Tenants have access to a mix of shared and personal amenities including on-site parking, roll-up vehicle doors, workspaces that prioritize safety, natural light and ventilation, well-appointed restrooms, and COFFEE. That’s right, we’ve tucked in a coffee stand intended to serve both tenants and the Midwest neighborhood.
Speaking of the Midwest neighborhood, DBC HQ has created a shared community space that is offered as a free, reservable service to the many groups working to organize and improve our little corner of Detroit.
Where You Fit In
We’re looking for “positive cultural output” businesses to join us as neighbors at our new headquarters. What the hell does “positive cultural output” mean? You know it when you see it: printmakers. welders. marine biologists. graphic designers. community organizers. educators. product business launchers. If you’re in business to make the world a better, cooler, and more fun place we want you here.
More than that, we want you to join as friends and co-conspirators as we make this place the most spectacular old factory workplace in Detroit.
Toss your hat in the ring here and we’ll get back to you: click this right here
Frequently Asked Quandaries
Q: How much is the rent, dude?
A: Great question, pal. There’s a mix of different spaces throughout the building, but rates are around $1/sq ft/month plus utilities. That’s all in, no extra fees on top of that.
Q. What length commitments are you offering?
A. This is an “it depends.” We’d prefer long leases so we can build a deep community, but we also understand it’s a time of big uncertainty. We’re flexible, let’s talk.
Q: Can I store my boat/car/zepplin/crap there?
A. That’s a no-can-do. We’re only interested in renting space to business operations who have a goal and want to get somewhere. We’re prioritizing job creators.
Q: Can I rent out space temporarily for my concert/wedding/movie shoot?
A. Also no. We tried this at our old space and it was a boondoggle. We’re also not going to rate our building for “assembly” use which is a whole other box of rocks.
Q. When is the space ready?
A. We’re phasing construction and remodeling as we go through the building. We’re keeping compliant with the city on this so it can take some time. Approach us with your needs at the signup link and we’ll take it from there.
Q. Can I bring my marijuana operation there?
A. Nope. Nothing against the game, just not a fit for our space.
Q. Who is “we?”
A. Right now, the building is wholly owned by Andy Didorosi, the owner of The Detroit Bus Company. This feasibility study was created with a ton of help from Anna Mackay of Sister City and Ben Carr of All Hands Architecture. We’ve had construction estimating and planning help from Charles Briggs of Briggs Construction. We’ll be adding as many small Detroit-based contributors to this project as we can.
Q. Can I invest? I want to be in the “we.”
A. Not yet, but soon. We’ll likely have a crowdinvesting round as well as an accredited investor round so you can join in the fun. We’re also working on ways to allow our tenants to become long-term owners. Dreamwork. Stay tuned.
Gratuitous Additional Drawings
