DBusiness Magazine
Land of Opportunity
Can a red-hot industrial market in the region, driven by nearly unsatiable demand for mobility, e-commerce, and R&D facilities, finally bring about a renaissance in Detroit?
Fair Deal: An architectural rendering of Amazon’s Detroit Fulfillment Center to be built on the site of the former Michigan State Fairgrounds near Woodward Avenue and Eight Mile Road. // Courtesy of Amazon
With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic last March, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-21 directing all “Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life.” The downside of the order reverberated throughout the state’s economy, resulting in bankruptcies, a sharp runup in unemployment filings, an exodus from offices and schools, and a resulting patchwork of dozens of controversial and conflicting regulations.