Michigan Central Station
Former railroad station in Detroit, Michigan / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Michigan Central Station (also known as Michigan Central Depot or MCS) is the historic former main intercity passenger rail station in Detroit, Michigan. Built for the Michigan Central Railroad, it replaced the original depot in downtown Detroit, which was shuttered after a major fire on December 26, 1913, forcing the still unfinished station into early service. Formally dedicated on January 4, 1914, the station remained open for business until the cessation of Amtrak service on January 6, 1988. The station building consists of a train depot and an office tower with thirteen stories, two mezzanine levels, and a roof height of 230 feet (70 m). The Beaux-Arts style architecture was designed by architects who had previously worked together on Grand Central Terminal in New York,[1] and it was the tallest rail station in the world at the time of its construction.[2]
Michigan Central Station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | 2405 West Vernor Highway Detroit, Michigan United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 42°19′43.69″N 083°04′39.83″W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owned by | Ford Motor Company | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Platforms | 10 island (historically) 4 (after renovation) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Closed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Station code | Amtrak code: DET | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | January 4, 1914; 110 years ago (January 4, 1914) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closed | January 6, 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rebuilt | 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Michigan Central Station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Area | 500,000 sq ft (46,000 m2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Built | June 1912–December 1913 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Architect | Reed and Stem, Warren and Wetmore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Architectural style | Beaux-Arts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | michigancentral.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NRHP reference No. | 75000969 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Added to NRHP | April 16, 1975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The building is located in the Corktown district of Detroit near the Ambassador Bridge, approximately 3⁄4 mi (1.2 km) southwest of downtown Detroit. It is located behind Roosevelt Park, and the Roosevelt Warehouse is adjacent to the east, with a tunnel connection to the MCS. The city's Roosevelt Park serves as a grand entryway to the station. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Images of the building's deterioration remain a premier example of ruins photography.[3] The building has also been featured in several television programs, films and music videos.
Various parties started negotiating renovation plans in 2011, and in May 2018, Ford Motor Company purchased the building for redevelopment into a mixed use facility and cornerstone of the company's new Corktown campus.[4] After years of extensive exterior and interior renovation, exceeding $740 million, the station is anticipated to reopen to the public on June 6, 2024.[5]