The Resurgence Starts Here. Now.

Nestled in the centre of Windsor you will find Ford City, historic, unpolished, and ready for resurgence. Ford City is home to businesses and entrepreneurs who are not afraid to take risks. The area is full of original ideas and diverse individuals laying the cornerstones to a community which thrives on creativity. This is not your average business district, it is a place where homegrown talent will always win over big box brands. Different is now, and bold is the new basic.
Are you a one-of-a-kind entrepreneur, looking to forge your place within a community where originality and creativity work seamlessly together hand in hand?

 

If so, Ford City wants you!

Contact us here, or get in touch with one of our preferred Ford City Agents here.

history

History

Ford City began as early French settlements in 1701, with the Odawa First Nations Tribe living alongside the French until 1763 when the British defeated them in the Seven Years War. Fast-forward to the 1900s and Ford City saw rapid growth with the introduction of the automobile. By 1904, Ford City had grown quickly to accommodate the large amount of employees needed for the newly automated assembly lines at Ford Motor Company. In December of 1923, Ford City was officially incorporated as a village with a total of 850 residents. On June 1st, 1929 the name was changed to East Windsor.

When The Great Depression rolled around in the 1930s, car production took a huge hit. In the blink of an eye, 12% of Ford City households were vacant. Nearly bankrupt and under provincial control, The City of Windsor took over on amalgamation day, July 1st, 1935.

As World War II came to an end, Ford City began to enjoy a well-deserved recovery and would see the highest level of commerce in the whole city. However, shortly after, Ford Motor Company would announce plans to relocate their head office and all production to Oakville, and so the downward spiral officially began.

The neighbourhood went through some tough times in the years that followed, but is now rising from the ashes and experiencing a rebirth that has absolutely nothing to do with the automotive industry and everything to do with makers, mold-breakers and risk-takers.

Forging Forward

While Ford City’s history is heavily automotive, its future is a completely different story. Not only are we crushing old negative stereotypes, we are also busy building an eclectic creative community which looks to offer original products and services. Gone are the days of boarded up buildings and quiet sidewalks. We are choosing to look forward – where Ford City will be “the” place to live, work and create. A place where entrepreneurs, makers and artists can forge a future for themselves and be part of a creative renaissance.

You might have driven by in the past thinking it was too empty or too far gone, but with positive ideas and the right plan in place, Ford City will flourish. We are done with clinging to the past, ready to shake off the dust, roll up our sleeves, put our heads together and give the city something to talk about. The future is full of possibility, and those who dare to dream big, are more than welcome to pull up a seat at the table and get to work with us.