Michigan Central Train Station

We only had 105 guests for tea last Saturday, so when I got off work my hubby and I drove over to the newly restored Michigan Central Train Station for a self-guided tour.  It's just 2.5 miles from The Whitney.

It recently opened to the public on June 6th after a $950 million, six-year restoration project by Ford Motor Company who purchased it in 2018 for $90 million.  Effective June 21 thru August 31st admission is free on Friday's from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

I was so anxious to see it.  The last time I was there was June, 1964 to see my girlfriend [on the left] off to California.

'The Station' [as it is called] was closed in 1988 due to decades of declining rail travel, and it sat vacant for 30 years experiencing severe neglect, decay, and vandalism.  It became a symbol of Detroit's urban decay and blight.  In 2013 the Detroit City Council ordered its demolition, but it was saved thanks to several factors, including being on the National Register of Historic Places.  

It's located in Corktown, Detroit's oldest neighborhood.  Irish immigrants, primarily from County Cork, Ireland, settled there in 1834 giving the area its name.

Saturday was a hot, humid, windy day, but it was air-conditioned inside the 'The Station' unlike when it was first built.

The green space in front of 'The Station' is Theodore Roosevelt Park.

There she sits in all of her restored glory.  Origionally, the Beaux-Arts building was designed with a three-story depot with ten gates for trains and a 15 story tower for more than 500 offices.  

A limestone sculpture in front of the side entrance.  A quarry in Indiana was reopened to excavate the same  limestone that had been used over 100 years ago in the initial construction of 'The Station'.

The main front entrance was closed for the tour so we entered from the far left side.  The guide referred to it as the 'welcoming room', but it was either the men's or ladies' waiting room origionally.   I read it will eventually be an event space.

An informative video played every two minutes before entering the Grand Hall.

Eventually there will be restaurants in 'The Station', but none are open now.   There were food trucks outside, but no food or beverages were allowed inside.  All beverage containers had to be checked outside before entering.  

Below is the Grand Hall [main lobby/waiting room] with its 54-ft. Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling. Warren & Wetmore of New York and Reed & Stem of St. Paul, Minnesota - the same architectural firms that collaborated on New York's Grand Central Station - were commissioned for Michigan Central Station.  

In the Grand Hall was a long historical display board for visitors to read and view photos.   As you can see, a lot of other people were there for Saturday's tour too.   

Three new massive chandeliers were recreated in a Beaux Arts architectural style to match ones seen in original constrution drawings and historical photos.  They hang in the Grand Hall. 

'The Station' was modeled after Rome's public baths with marble floors, bronze chandeliers, and Corinthian Columns.  It opened December 26, 1913 as one of the country's most spectacular transportation terminals.  At its peak, 'The Station' saw 4,000 passengers daily.

Below is the [north] main entrance into the Grand Hall, but it was locked on Saturday. Origionally benches for travelers to sit on would have been in this area, but now it's a large open space.  It showcases the marble floors beautifully.

 The origional beautiful windows opened for air flow, but I don't think the replacements do.

Ticket counters in the ticket lobby, and one of two large clocks on the ground level.  The ticket lobby was between the Grand Hall and the Main Concourse.

~ Replicated clock above the ticket office ~

~ Main Concourse ~

~ Train Gates ~

~ An amazing Lego recreation of 'The Station' ~

Original walls in the entry/exit with graffiti painted during its abandonment remain to retell the history of 'The Station's' past life.

Thank you Ford Motor Company for saving this beautiful iconic building from demolition. Since 2018, more than 3,000 skilled tradespeople have spent 1.7 million hours to meticulously return 'The Station' to its original architectural grandeur.   

If you're a local reader, I hope you will make plans to see this magnificient piece of Detroit's history and future legacy.  I saw a lot during last Saturday's tour, but I missed some things, so want to return again before August 31st.