Detroit's once-abandoned train depot restored to past glory

Exterior of Michigan Central Station before and after restoration. Photos: Stephen McGee/Michigan Central

The long-awaited reveal of Michigan Central Station's dramatic restoration to its pristine past is finally here.

Why it matters: Michigan Central's transformation from a battered reminder of Detroit's decline into a monument of civic pride is a historic achievement that eluded local leaders and developers for decades .

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What they're saying: "We think about the station as a fairly massive signal to the world that Detroit's leading the way again. It's not just about the classic revitalization stories — we're past that," Michigan Central CEO Joshua Sirefman said.

• "We are actually now in a position of leadership."

Behind the scenes: Axios Detroit and other media outlets were invited to an advance tour inside the station May 14 under a confidentiality agreement that all reporting would be kept secret until Monday.

Interior ceiling of a Michigan Central Station hall before and after restoration. Photos: James Haefner/Michigan Central; Joe Guillen/Axios

Catch up quick: The depot opened in 1913 and was designed by the same architects behind New York's Grand Central Terminal. During its 1940s peak, more than 4,000 passengers used it daily.

• As the automobile's rise made train travel less desirable, Michigan Central couldn't sustain itself and it closed in 1988.
• Ford bought Michigan Central in 2018 to become part of the automaker's new Corktown hub for transportation and electric vehicle innovation.

Interior ceiling of the Michigan Central Station grand hall before and after restoration. Photos: James Haefner/Michigan Central; Stephen McGee/Michigan Central

Driving the news: More than 3,100 workers over six years overcame severe water damage throughout the building to restore as many details as possible to their original condition, officials said during the tour.

• Three-D printing and other restoration techniques were used to recreate some of the building's artifacts.

By the numbers: The 640,000-square-foot station has 18 floors — three for the train depot and 15 for the office tower.

The restoration involved:

• 1.7 million combined work hours.
• 8.6 miles of grout for 29,000 Guastavino ceiling tiles in the grand hall.
• 3.5 million gallons of water pumped out of the basement.
• The overall cost has not been disclosed.

Exterior of the Michigan Central Station building gate before and after restoration. Photos: Charlotte Smith/Michigan Central; Stephen McGee/Michigan Central

The intrigue: After Ford's purchase of the building, the original clock from the station's carriage house was mysteriously dropped off, wrapped in bubble wrap and blue tarp. People whose identities remain anonymous to Michigan Central dropped off the 750-pound clock after salvaging it decades earlier after the station closed.

• "When Ford acquired the building, somebody made contact anonymously and said, 'We have the carriage house clock and we'll leave it in a specific spot overnight and you all can come pick it up,'" Sirefman said. "It's one example of the love, honestly, that people showed for saving elements of the building."

What's next: A sold-out kickoff concert is 6pm Thursday outside the station, followed by a series of public tours, which are also at capacity.

• More tour dates will be announced soon.
• In the coming months and years, new tenants will fill the station. Restaurants, a hotel and various exhibits and events are planned, Sirefman said.

Michigan Central Station columns before and after restoration. Photos: James Haefner/Michigan Central; Stephen McGee/Michigan Central

Ticket booth restoration

Interior of the Michigan Central Station ticket booth before and after restoration. Photos: Stephen McGee/Michigan Central; Stephen McGee/Michigan Central

During its mid-20th century peak, most travelers arrived by trolley at Michigan Central Station's east entrance, which led them to the ticket booth.

Why it matters: The ticket booth and its historic clock were highlights of Axios Detroit's recent behind-the-scenes tour of Michigan Central, the once-abandoned train depot that Ford spent the last six years restoring.

What they're saying: "This clock up on the wall above the ticket lobby was like the beacon," Melissa Dittmer, Michigan Central's head of place, said during the tour.

• "It kept the time and the pulse for the station and, let's say, maybe, for the city of Detroit as well."

Context: The clock was recreated using some of its original components in combination with original drawings, Dittmer said.

The latest: Diana Ross, Jack White, Big Sean and others will headline Thursday's sold-out concert outside the station.

• Peacock will livestream the event at 8:30pm and it will air Sunday at 7pm on NBC.