On October 9, the Ford House won a Michigan Award from Keep Michigan Beautiful, Inc. at their Awards Ceremony at the Crowne Plaza West in Lansing. KMB’s objective is to identify, recognize and honor programs or projects that involve beautification, litter prevention and control, recycling of waste materials, clean-up, site restoration, and historical preservation.
Ford House, the historic estate of Edsel and Eleanor Ford, opened its most significant expansion in Spring of 2021-a 40,000 square foot Visitor Center and 17,000 square foot Administration Building. With an emphasis on sustainability and design, the buildings allow o expanded programming and amenities and lets the estate restore spaces in the historic home where staff were previously located. The architecture reflects a modern twist on the Tudor revival mansion. The buildings were designed to have net-zero energy usage and features solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, bird-safe glass, bioswales to clean runoff water, electric vehicle charging stations and native plant landscaping.
Ford House has been overwhelmed with positive feedback from their visitors. Visitors appreciate the new dining and event spaces, the expanded programming they can now offer, the beautiful views of Lake St. Clair and Ford Cove, and the detail taken in the design inside and out. Ford House mission is to be an asset to the community and they have given their community a convening space to better engage with the historic estate, the lakefront and the natural environment.
