Michigan Central Station
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Michigan Central Station
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Michigan Central Station (2016)
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| Location | 2405 West Vernor Highway Detroit, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 42°19′43.69″N 083°04′39.83″W / 42.3288028°N 83.0777306°WCoordinates: 42°19′43.69″N 083°04′39.83″W / 42.3288028°N 83.0777306°W |
| Area | 500,000 sq ft (46,000 m2) |
| Built | June 1912 – December 1913 |
| Architect |
Reed and Stem, Warren and Wetmore |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP Reference # | 75000969 |
| Added to NRHP | April 16, 1975 |
Michigan Central Station (also known as Michigan Central Depot or MCS) was the main intercity passenger rail depot for 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. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest rail station in the world.
The building is located in the Corktown district of Detroit near the Ambassador Bridge, approximately ¾-mile (1.2 km) southwest of downtown Detroit. It is located behind Roosevelt Park, and the Roosevelt Warehouse is adjacent to the east. 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.
Restoration projects and plans have gone as far as the negotiation process, but none has come to fruition. Since 2011, demolition works, minor structural repairs, repairs of the roof structure, and covering the glass roof openings in the concourse have been performed. The basement, which was once full of water, has been fully drained, and a barbed wire fence has been installed in an attempt to keep out vandals and the windows in the tower have been replaced.
Images of the building remain a premier example of ruins photography.
The building began operating as Detroit's main passenger depot in 1913 after the older Michigan Central Station burned on December 26, 1913. It was originally owned and operated by Michigan Central Railroad. It was planned as part of a large project that included the Michigan Central Railway Tunnel below the Detroit River for freight and passengers. The old station was located on a spur line, which was inconvenient for the high volume of passengers it served. The new Michigan Central placed passenger service on the main line.
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