Take A Peek At The Renovations Inside Michigan Central Station

Ford is currently in the middle of renovations inside Michigan Central Station.

Michigan Central Station was closed down in 1988 and sat vacant for years just outside of downtown Detroit. However, in 2018 Ford Motor Company purchased the historic building in Detroit's Corktown district. The auto manufacturer plans to use the building for research and development of self-driving vehicles.

Just recently, The Handbuilt City took a tour of the building during the renovations and created a virtual tour of the progress. Work was paused earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but crews returned to work in early August. The 105-year-old, 500,000-square-foot building should be completed by the end of 2022.

Michigan Central Station was Detroit's main passenger depot back in 1913 after it replaced the original passenger depot that burnt down in a fire. Most passengers of the time would arrive at and leave from Michigan Central Station by streetcar. At the beginning of World War I, more than 200 trains left the station each day. In the '40's more than 4,000 passengers per day came through the station and 3,000 people worked in the office tower.

I have driven by Michigan Central Station a lot in my life and have always loved that building. It would have been very cool to see it back in the day when it was booming. I have also seen a lot of pictures from friends I have in the Detroit area that use to sneak in there when it was abandoned. They took some really cool shots in there.

The renovations are looking great and the virtual tour gives you some history of the building as well, check it out here. 

Source: WDIV and The Handbuilt City