What does the future hold for Memphis’ suburban housing market?
While increased interest rates and rising cost of materials have slowed the housing market, things could improve by the end of this year or the first of 2025.
While increased interest rates and rising cost of materials have slowed the housing market, things could improve by the end of this year or the first of 2025.
As Ford Motor Co. inches closer to the 2025 opening of its BlueOval City megasite, the company’s philanthropic arm is investing in the West Tennessee communities on which Ford will rely for its workforce.
“Landing Ford Motor Co. created a ripple effect statewide as we continue to see Tier 1 suppliers like Avancez choosing to locate in Tennessee,” said the Tennessee Economic and Community Development commissioner.
Ford Motor Co.’s Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center has moved past the construction phase, and equipment installation is underway at the assembly plant, which will produce Ford’s next-generation electric truck, code-named Project T-3.
Each student selected for a Ford Auto Tech Scholarship will receive $5,000 in financial assistance for their education and training, including tuition, tools, living expenses and transportation.
On Feb. 15 and 16, the company’s human resources team camped out at Livingston’s Soda Fountain and Grill, a popular retro-style eatery near the Brownsville, Tennessee, town square.
BlueOval SK’s recruitment campaign will begin in March or April and will continue to increase hiring each month until it meets the goal of 2,500 West Tennessee hires by end of the year.
Several commercial ventures including Lopez Grill and O’Reilly Auto Parts, are nearing completion in as interest increases in the suburb that’s in commuting distance of BlueOval City.
Despite Ford’s commitment to West Tennessee, the largest single-investment in the state’s history, Memphis economist John Gnuschke said an ongoing strike could spell trouble.
With the construction site for Ford’s BlueOval City only 13 minutes away, the diocese is now preparing for an onslaught of development in the area.
Working with third-party consultants, BlueOval SK conducted wage and benchmarking studies to determine employee pay and benefits.
Chris Ivie expects the project to set standards for how temporary schools are built in an age of escalating weather disasters — the schools were destroyed by a March 31 tornado.
Altogether, Canada-based Magna International plans to invest $790 million to create three facilities to supply parts for the campus near Stanton, Tennessee.
One of the world’s largest automotive suppliers will build the first two supplier facilities at Ford’s BlueOval City supplier park in Stanton, Tennessee.
Chamber leadership met with media representatives in the Big Apple to discuss Memphis’ robust economic development pipeline, as well as the area’s workforce diversity.
Bartlett Mayor David Parsons says Bartlett’s housing stock is about to start showing some diversity. The recently elected mayor talked about a changing housing market and Bartlett’s first mixed-use development on “Behind The Headlines.”
Construction is expected to take two to three weeks. The gift from Ford will be at no cost to the district.
“Never in my life did I anticipate that there would be this happening in rural West Tennessee,” said Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. “Welcome to one of the most exciting days celebrating one of the most exciting events in this region.” Ford to build next electric truck — Project T3 — at BlueOval CityRelated story:
By late 2026, Ford plans to produce 2 million electric vehicles annually across its global operations.
Several mayors from West Tennessee had a discussion on Tuesday to get an idea for what is anticipated and the challenges they will face when BlueOval City moves into the region.
The real work is just starting for the municipalities within the impact crater of Ford Motor Co.’s new BlueOval City electric vehicle campus in Haywood County. How exactly are the surrounding communities going to react?
Collierville Chamber of Commerce hosted Neva Burke, BlueOval SK human resources manager, on Thursday. The evolving workforce post-pandemic is a challenge she must tackle moving forward.
Among the street names is Piquette Drive, a reference to the Piquette Plant in Detroit where the first Ford Model T was produced.
General Motors’ Memphis Parts Distribution Center, which was opened in 1999, ships 331,700 orders per month and employs 259 people.
Ford began the first phases of construction at BlueOval City during the past year, and the automaker has continued to expand its presence in West Tennessee.
The Memphis market ranked No. 9 in the nation.
This will be Ford’s ninth mobility innovation challenge since 2018.
CEO Clay Bright also said there are two “potential gravesites” on Megasite grounds, totaling less than two acres, but provided no information about who might be buried there.
With the anticipated arrival of Ford’s BlueOval City to West Tennessee, the Arlington school district is working on a curriculum to better prepare students for those type jobs.