Detroit MI, Michigan Central Station

[hammer87]

Just was looking some info on the Michigan Central Station a couple of weeks ago and came across the following article that was in the January 9, 1914 issue of the Railway Age Gazette describing the newly-built station which opened in December of 1913 for a total cost of $7.5 million (about $155 Million today), which included construction of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

Anyway the link is below and it's a pdf. what's neat is that they include some architectural drawings.

Michigan Central Railroad Station at Detroit
Publication: Railway Age Gazette
Date: Jan. 9, 1914

[Onn]

I'm hoping they tear this down, it's been a blight on the city for far too long.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Onn

I'm hoping they tear this down, it's been a blight on the city for far too long.

Though it's the easiest one to renovate. In fact the owner has the money to do so, and could plate the entire facade with gold if he so choose. If the city can condemn the property and take control, it would have a far better change of rehab. For as bad as it looks, it's far from a total loss yet.

[Onn]

Originally Posted by Hayward

Though it's the easiest one to renovate. In fact the owner has the money to do so, and could plate the entire facade with gold if he so choose. If the city can condemn the property and take control, it would have a far better change of rehab. For as bad as it looks, it's far from a total loss yet.

It doesn’t matter, there isn't the demand in the city for the space even if they renovated it. The issue is a lot bigger than just finding the money. That area needs big investments if any renovation is to be successful, and honestly who wants to invest down there in new developments? Just like the mayor has been saying, Detroit has to downsize. Downsizing means getting rid of stuff like the dilapidated train station.

[Rizzo]

Actually the lack of space is the building's problem. It would likely need massive additions to support several of the proposals that would outfit the building. It's key location is what's saving it. The problem is the person who owns it, not the building itself.

To be honest, either way is a win situation. Something needs to be done though I'd prefer a renovation...it really is an incredible building. Though it most certainly stands as a blight at the moment, a tragic icon of a city that has fallen far. Since multiple attempts to demolish it have failed miserably, I guess the only solution is to renovate it.

[tallboy66]

I've got an idea, redevelop it INTO a train station and get the whole light rail thing going and that is the hub.

Ok back to reality, it's shame that it sits like it does.
Restored it would be like Union Station or Grand Central.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by tallboy66

I've got an idea, redevelop it INTO a train station and get the whole light rail thing going and that is the hub.

Ok back to reality, it's shame that it sits like it does.
Restored it would be like Union Station or Grand Central.

I agree with this idea and would take it a step further, this is where light rail and high speed rail should meet within the city. I have never been to Detroit before, so obviously demolishing this building would have no effect on my life, but I still think it would be a shame to not try and take any other route that involves saving such a beautiful building for future generations to enjoy.

[LMich]

Given it's location (which was a mistake in the first place, and a mistake realized very soon after its opening), it's not nor could it ever be a hub for a local transit system short of new rail intrastructure being built to and from it, which isn't going to happen. Realistically, with a little vision, it could certainly be a commuter rail and Amtrak hub (as it once was), but local leaders decided back earlier in the decade that the hub of any transit system would be at the existing Amtrak site up in New Center because of existence of existing rail infrastructure.

I'm just happy that the talk a year or two ago of tearing the place down has been completely squashed. While it is sad to see it continue to sit and rot, the introduction of the movie industry to Michigan has actually put the most positive light on this property in years. I'm not at all worried about it standing empty too much longer. Too much positive attention is on it now, and too many (organized) regular citizens paying attention, for its demolition to ever be politically feasible, anymore.

[Mattylite]

Come on citizens of Detroit, I implore you, tear down this building just like all the other great buildings that you have let go by the way side. 0h and when you get to the Institute of Art could you send the Rivera Murals and the Bruegel painting to San Francisco so I could appreciate them more easily

[fishrose]

Originally Posted by Mattylite

Come on citizens of Detroit, I implore you, tear down this building just like all the other great buildings that you have let go by the way side. 0h and when you get to the Institute of Art could you send the Rivera Murals and the Bruegel painting to San Francisco so I could appreciate them more easily

Wow, Detroit bashing... how original...

[hammer87]

Wow nice to a response. Anyway my hope for the building is that it does get renovated, not demolished. I recall reading back when there was talk of it the building being demoed that the building itself is structurally sound

[tallboy66]

Originally Posted by LMich

Given it's location (which was a mistake in the first place, and a mistake realized very soon after its opening), it's not nor could it ever be a hub for a local transit system short of new rail intrastructure being built to and from it, which isn't going to happen. Realistically, with a little vision, it could certainly be a commuter rail and Amtrak hub (as it once was), but local leaders decided back earlier in the decade that the hub of any transit system would be at the existing Amtrak site up in New Center because of existence of existing rail infrastructure.

I'm just happy that the talk a year or two ago of tearing the place down has been completely squashed. While it is sad to see it continue to sit and rot, the introduction of the movie industry to Michigan has actually put the most positive light on this property in years. I'm not at all worried about it standing empty too much longer. Too much positive attention is on it now, and too many (organized) regular citizens paying attention, for its demolition to ever be politically feasible, anymore.

Well it is a little ways from Downtown or Dearborn but another guess what? There are/were rail lines along the riverfront, they are under the pavement of Jefferson, Woodward, Gratioit and the new bike trail from Eastern Market to the Riverfront or they were and torn up to make Woodard 8 lanes wide

You know it take 2 lights to walk across Jefferson from the Ren-Cen to Millender, unless you run. Detroit isn't walkable, no real mass transit but at least you can still race on 94 late at night.

[Onn]

It needs to be torn down, I don’t even know why there is a debate. It's just not practical for anything, a safety hazard at most. If it was to be redeveloped it would have been done decades ago.

[LMich]

It's good that you're not in the position to make this decision. But, if you're really hard on tearing it down, please feel free to donate some money to Detroit's general fund to cover the cost of first condemning the building and then buying it, and then the money needed to tear down such an impressively and solidly constructed building.

It's not coming down now, or anytime in the near future.