PREVIEW

Michigan Central Station was once the jewel of Motown, with its Beaux-Arts architecture welcoming those seeking opportunity to Detroit - once one of America’s most prosperous cities.
However, the very thing that made Detroit’s name - the motor car - evetnually led to its decline, as diminishing passenger numbers led to the Amtrak service to the station being discontinued in 1988.
Now, after decades of neglect, it has finally been restored to its former glory - thanks to renovations backed by the Ford Motor Company.
The iconic station officially reopened its doors to the community during Michigan Central OPEN, which began on 6 June 2024.
The former station will now be the centrepiece of Michigan Central, a 30-acre technology and cultural hub located in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood.
Ford undertook the restoration project after purchasing the abandoned train station in 2018. As some of these images show, it was in a terrible state - but has now been restored to its former glory.
“Michigan Central means a great deal to us all. In many ways, this building tells the story of our city,” said Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford. “This Station was our Ellis Island – a place where dreamers in search of new jobs and new opportunities first set foot in Detroit. But once the last train pulled out, it became a place where hope left.”
The new hub aims to bring together Ford employees, external partners, entrepreneurs, students, and even competitors to co-create innovative products, services, and technologies.
To revive the landmark it took a team of designers, community leaders, and thousands of skilled workers.
“In 2018, I decided it was time to change that by reimagining this station as a place of possibility again,” Bill Ford added. “Over the past six years, Ford Motor Company and teams of forward thinkers, designers, community leaders, and more than 3,000 skilled tradespeople have worked to bring this landmark back to life.”
Restoring it has been a monumental task. Originally designed by the architects behind New York’s Grand Central, the station first opened in 1913. It was one of the country’s most spectacular transportation terminals until the rise of the car and Detroit’s decline led to its demise.
Construction teams used both old and new technologies to ensure historical accuracy while preserving and repurposing different aspects of the building. For instance, Ford and its partners sourced over 600 tons of limestone from the original quarry in Indiana. A Michigan tradesman spent 428 hours hand-carving a replica of a column capital for the building’s north entrance.
The restoration project involved replacing or restoring 102,000 square feet of windows, installing 4,200 new light fixtures, and restoring the iconic Waiting Room and Grand Hall, which required the equivalent of 8.7 miles of grout. The team also pumped 3.5 million gallons of water from the basement and removed 3,990 cubic yards of debris.
The renovation project has breathed new life into the stunning Beaux-Arts building, restoring its classical façade and ornate interiors, including the Grand Hall with its 54-foot Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling, the arcade, ticket lobby, and restaurant. Since late 2018, over 1.7 million hours have been dedicated to returning the station to its former architectural glory, while equipping it with modern technology and infrastructure.
Michigan Central will hold restaurants, music, art, retail spaces, and a hub for innovation. Startups and established companies will collaborate here, ensuring Detroit remains the Motor City for generations to come.
After backing the project, Ford will be among the first tenants, with employees from its Ford Model e and Ford Integrated Services teams moving into newly renovated office spaces within the station later this year.
By the end of the year, around 1,000 Ford employees will be working in the Michigan Central district, with plans to increase this number to 2,500 by 2028.
The station’s innovation hub will provide 640,000 square feet of space designed to inspire creative collaboration among companies, universities, startups, and other stakeholders.
Michigan Central Station will not only serve as a hub for innovation but also as a destination for the surrounding community. It will feature green spaces, local programming and events, and arts and cultural opportunities. A new public park is being developed on the station’s former rail yard, designed for sustainability and inclusivity, with gardens, playscapes, and community gathering spaces.
“I wanted Michigan Central to be beautifully restored but also reimagined for so much more,” Bill Ford explained. “This will be a place for the community to enjoy and a destination for visitors from all over. We will have restaurants, music, art, and great retail. And the innovation that will happen here, with startups and companies big and small, will help ensure Detroit preserves its title as the Motor City for generations to come.”
In addition, Michigan Central supports local residents and small businesses with skills-training programmes, connecting participants with opportunities for in-demand jobs.
The reopening of Michigan Central Station marks a new chapter in Detroit’s history - as those behind the project hope it will be a symbol of the reversal of the city’s decline as it embraces the future.
“Thanks to the thousands of people who contributed to this project, one of the city’s most treasured landmarks has been brought back to life, while creating a space that will take us into the future,” said Joshua Sirefman, CEO of Michigan Central concluded. “Michigan Central will advance mobility solutions that help solve some of society’s biggest challenges. It will also be a powerful catalyst for growth and an economic engine for this region.”