MSX Moving World Headquarters to Southfield

AUBURN HILLS, MI-A business services company is doing something almost unheard of–moving its headquarters out of this popular, office heavy city and into Southfield. MSX International, which has 26 satellite offices just in the Southeast Michigan area, has signed on with Kirco Development of Troy to build an $11-million facility on 3 acres at West 11 Mile Road and I-696.

Laura Vultaggio, manager of corporate communications for the company, says about 190 employees are being moved into the new 65,000-sf building. The current facility on Rex Boulevard is only 40,000 sf.

“The site we selected promotes a closer working relationship among ouremployees at our various facilities in Michigan. It's also central to our customers,” Vultaggio tells GlobeSt.com.

The company already has another Southfield office with 300 employees.The Southfield city council recently approved a $1.7-million tax abatement for 10 years for the company. Construction has already begun, Vultaggio says. The building should be ready by February.She says the firm, which leases the current building from RV Development of West Bloomfield, will also lease the new facility, most likely from Kirco.

Auburn Hills officials, who are used to firms moving into the city after it dangles tax abatements and to be near Automation Alley, say they are a little put out that MSX has decided to leave the area.Office space in Auburn Hills leases at an average of $24.59 per sf,as opposed to $22.82 per sf in Southfield, according to Grubb andEllis.

Neumann Smith and Associates of Southfield is the architect.

“The new building will accommodate our needs as a growing company,” says Thomas Stallkamp, MSX vice chairman and chief executive officer.

Kirco has been actively developing the I-696 corridor in Southfield, most recently the Oxford Pointe facility.

MSX has more than 14,000 employees at 117 locations in 23countries.