DETROIT (FOX 2) – Ford Motor Co. took on a huge task when it purchased Detroit’s Michigan Central Station six years ago, with promises of bringing the long-abandoned building back to life.
And they had their work cut out for them.
(I know you’re here for the photos – the gallery is below).
When Ford bought Michigan Central, the once great transportation hub had been vacant for 30 years. After the last train rolled out in 1988, it was left to rot with no certain future. Many plans were proposed for the space, but nothing came to be. Some suggested making it into a casino or a police headquarters. Others pushed to tear it down. However, it is on the National Register of Historic Places, so demolition wasn’t an option.
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The front of Michigan Central in May 2024 (Amber Ainsworth/FOX 2)
So, Michigan Central stood empty, save for the vandals and urban explorers who traversed the large, blighted building. As thieves tore apart the building and made off with valuables that were left behind, it fell into a state of disrepair and became a symbol of decay in Detroit.
However, as momentum behind Detroit’s revival grew, so did Michigan Central’s rebirth. Today, the facade tells a story of rebirth and preservation.
The public will get its first in-person look at the newly renovated building this week. Ford promised to keep the historic elements of the train depot as it renovated it into a home for its autonomous vehicle team.
Crews worked meticulously to restore what could be saved and recreate the elements that couldn’t.
Much of the station was heavily damaged by water during the 30 years it was empty, and that damage is still visible even today, a mixing of the old and the new. Look closely at the columns on the main floor and you’ll see pockmarks, evidence of the water that poured into MCS for years.
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