Detroit is a city that barely survived its bankruptcy. It is a city that in the middle of the 20th century had a population of 1.85 million. Today, that number is a mere 620,000. The symbol of a bankrupt Detroit is a sea of empty, decaying buildings that used to be architecturally stunning. One such symbol is Michigan Central Station. The large station was built in 1913 and was to be a key interchange for the Great Lakes area. Plans for a railway powerhouse failed. The building deteriorated until it was bought out by Ford. The company exemplarily renovated the edifice and turned it into a technology hub for a city rising from its knees.
By the early 20th century, rail traffic in the USA was growing steadily. In fact, it is difficult to say whether the country’s railway history had a better period of development than that coinciding with the First World War. In 1916, the network was the longest in history. Rail lines were operated by state carriers. This is how railways operate in the state of Michigan. The station in the state’s largest city, Detroit, was in an unfavourable location. The state government came up with the idea of creating a new large interchange centre, serving several different long-distance routes. In addition, the station would serve goods trains carrying parts and products from car brands such as Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Ford.
A station to match the Great Lakes
The tender for the station was won by Warren & Wetmore in consultation with Reed and Stern. The firms were also responsible for the design of the USA’s most famous station, the Grand Central Terminal in New York. The similarities between the stations are noticeable primarily in style. The rich ornamentation of the Beaux-Arts refers to classicism and baroque.
The front, lower part of the building is the station proper, including the check-in hall, ticket counters and exits to the platforms. The façade of the station consists of ornate porticoes. Columns, cartouches and richly decorated pediments are noticeable. There are also mascarons hanging above the cartouches. The walls are varied with floral festoons and other floral ornaments.
Inside, the hall was intended to resemble Roman baths. Hence the Doric vaults and columns. In fact, the vaulted terracotta tiles are referred to as ‘Gustavino tiles’. It is named after the Spanish architect who promoted this type of construction at the end of the 19th century. The arches are decorated with rosettes and medallions can also be found in several places. A large clock was an important element of the station.
Behind the station hall stands a second, 70 m tall building. The original plans called for offices for railway companies to be created here. There were also plans for a hotel. The station opened in 1914 and most of the office space stood empty. Some of the floors were never finished. Plans to create a large transport centre were also never completed. The station was far from the historic city centre and the boulevard connecting the station to the city centre was never built.
One step away from tragedy
While cars were not a problem for rail transport at the beginning of the century, traffic increased significantly in the 1930s and post-war years. After all, it was in Detroit that Ford and GM manufactured their cars. Connections were fewer and fewer. In the 1960s, trains going to New York were withdrawn. In time, the Canadian Pacific Railway also stopped operating services to Detroit. Only the national carrier Amtrak continued to invest money in the failing station. Even renovations were carried out.
After a few years, the station went up for sale. However, the transaction was not finalised. Further attempts to sell were unsuccessful. This meant that the fate of the station was a foregone conclusion. In 1988, the last Amtrak train left Michigan Central Station.
The station stood empty and abandoned until 1996. The Moroun transportation company bought the building and announced major changes. In the early 2000s, demolition of the remaining railway infrastructure began. A few years later, the city became interested in buying the building, but already in 2009 the city council voted down a proposal to demolish the station. Fortunately, the building was listed as a historic monument back in the 1990s, which saved it from demolition.
The prodigal son
Hope came with 2018, when Ford, which is based in the Detroit metropolitan area, bought back the station. The corporation had a specific idea for the building’s purpose. Michigan Central Station was to be transformed into a technology centre focused on autonomous cars. In addition, shops and cafes were to be built in the former station hall. The taller building was to be converted into offices and flats. The design for the renovated complex was developed by Quinn Evans, which has been working on the building since 2011.
Ford proceeded with the work. The problem was that years of devastation had left their mark on the building. For this reason, the refurbishment was divided into several phases. After a thorough clean-up of the work site, the reinforcement of the steel skeleton of the edifice began. 3D scanning technology helped to accurately reproduce the lost ornamentation. Some of the stucco was opened up by hand.
Work was abruptly halted due to the COVID pandemic. The opening was postponed by two years. Despite the difficulties, Ford managed to restore the monument. The grand opening took place on 6 June 2024. After almost 36 years, the city has regained an important part of the urban fabric.
Back to the living
For several decades, the station area was frightening in its appearance to Detroit residents. Today, the station is a useful centre of development and a conveniently located public space. What’s more, a park and a complex of technology campus buildings have been created in front of the station. For such an exemplary renovation, Quinn Evans was awarded the Architecture Firm Award 2024 by the American Institute of Architects. Particular attention was paid to the reliable reproduction of the historic stucco and the innovative renewal of the urban space.
The restoration of one of Detroit’s many ‘spooks’ is another step in restoring the city to its former glory. While there is still a lot of work to be done, and the depopulation of the city continues, Detroit’s creative culture has not been as prosperous as it is now. It’s also good to see how the industry that built the city is now trying to help it. So it’s worth following the continued fortunes of a city slowly rising from its knees.
Photo source: Quinn Evans
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