Toyota Motor North America is gaining momentum on its One Toyota move to nearby Plano, which will have a considerable and positive impact on the city of Frisco. Many individuals and families relocating to the area will live and shop in Frisco and its neighboring communities.
The new 100-acre, $350 million campus-style headquarters at the corner of Legacy Drive and Headquarter Drive just south of S.H. 121 in Plano is on schedule for completion beginning in early 2017, with more than 50% of the construction timeline already achieved. More than 1,200 workers recently poured up to 500 truckloads of concrete in a single week.
The move, which was originally announced in April 2014, will continue with more than 800 team members working at Toyota’s temporary offices in Plano by the end of 2016.
Toyota’s unification of its North American Operations will relocate more than 4,000 professionals and their families to this area. The relocation will include 2,000 positions at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. and 1,000 professionals at Toyota Financial Services currently working in Torrance, California; 1,000 positions at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America based in Erlanger, Kentucky; and about 50 professionals with Toyota Motor North America in New York City.
Officials with the automaker have cited many reasons why they decided to move their headquarters to this area, including more home for the money, a more central geographical location, tax incentives and the quality of life locally.
Toyota is currently attempting to retain enough of its employees to ensure a smooth transition, and has hosted several three-day, all-expenses-paid trips that include lodging at a premium hotel, The Westin Stonebriar.
The corporate culture at Toyota is known for encouraging salaried employees to consider their jobs as lifelong careers. Because of this, Toyota is offering what many call a generous lump sum as an incentive to workers who agree to make the move and stay in Plano, Texas, for (at least) two years.
According to a company spokesperson, those who agree to stay on until their departments move “will be provided with a generous retention package that will recognize and reward the value of their much-needed talents through our years-long transition.” This includes a retention bonus based on salary and tenure, full reimbursement of relocation costs for supervisor and management level employees, and assistance with selling their homes and buying homes in north Texas.
Employees will be housed at a corporate campus that fosters innovation and collaboration. According to a company executive, about half the office space will be personal, with the other half being collaborative. For example, associates will bring their laptops to sit and work together, thereby promoting interaction and face-to-face communication and synergy.
The campus will include seven office buildings with glass exteriors and protective roof overhands to provide shade. The five-story buildings are positioned next to a large central plaza that includes dining, fitness and conference facilities. These towers and the adjacent parking structures will support solar panels for renewable energy production.
Campus landscaping will feature regional plants requiring little water to reflect the North Texas region, as well as water retention designs for optimal irrigation.
For more information about living in Frisco, please feel free to drop me a note at [email protected] or call me at (214) 597-2985. For information on Frisco, Texas visit www.judiwright.com. Blog by Top Realtor Judi Wright with Ebby Halliday – The Judi Wright Team.
