What does a state's largest commercial landlord do when it owns 20 million square feet of office space, and the state's largest city has an office vacancy rate of 30%? Michigan’s largest commercial landlord, Farbman Group, is offering free space as an incentive to attract business into the economically challenged state.

From today's Detroit News, "In another sign of the region's tough economy, the largest commercial landlord in Michigan is offering free rent to startup companies and firms new to the state." Well, actually "rent would be free, for an undetermined amount of time, but the companies must pay for utilities and other operating costs."

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070426/BIZ/704260393/1001

Of course, if workers ever try to entice employers to a depressed area by offering wages below $5.15 an hour then someone would wind up in jail. I wonder if that might be why unemployment has remained above 14% for so long?

4/26/2007 10:57:59 PM

You know what would fix Detroit? Paying crackheads 25 cents an hour.

4/26/2007 11:03:44 PM

Quote :

"You know what would fix Detroit? Paying crackheads 25 cents an hour."

Heh, no, what would fix Detroit is removing all the heavy tax burdens on the industries there, and eliminating all the fucking teamsters.

The American auto industries could ask for another break from uncle sam, tho.

4/26/2007 11:09:48 PM

Politics and Economics rarely mix well. I am of the belief that politicians are fully aware that raising minimum wage will reduce the number of jobs(and there are good arguments to the contrary). Can you envision a politician telling the general masses of America that by lowering wages, there will be lower unemployment. He/she would never be elected.

The type of people that make that wage are typically uneducated and possess no marketable skills and those who employ them are not of the type of business that can easily increase their pay allowances.


Maybe if Toyota moves into Detroit and somehow keeps the union out, Detroit can be saved. Not that I care to argue the pros and cons of unionization.

4/26/2007 11:14:02 PM

what detroit needs


is OCP


let Dick Jones run that place.

4/26/2007 11:30:24 PM

The really intriguing question is will there be free lunch provided?



Well, that's a trick question since the rest of the country has been providing Detroit free lunches for decades now.


Burn that fucking place down so I can get a cheap Lexus soon.

4/27/2007 6:42:54 AM