DETROIT — The landmark Michigan Central Station, purchased by Ford Motor Co. in 2018 after decades of decay for revival as an innovation center, will have its public reopening on June 6, the Detroit Free Press reports.
First teased with the projection of the June 6 date on the side of the building, the opening was confirmed by the Ford subsidiary overseeing the building project in a statement: “We know Detroit and the world are eager to see how we’ve brought Michigan Central Station back to life. We are excited to show the first glimpse of the station on June 6, 2024, as we open its doors once again. Stay tuned to michigancentral.com and on our social media channels for more details.”
The 15-story building in the city’s Corktown neighborhood opened in 1913 and closed in 1988. It has been undergoing a lengthy renovation since purchase by Ford [see “New life for Detroit’s Michigan Central Station,” Trains News Wire, June 11, 2018], reportedly for $90 million. As of early 2022 — when it was announced Google would become part of the 30-acre technology campus — renovation costs were reported to have reached $740 million [see “Google joins Michigan Central Station project,” News Wire, Feb. 4, 2022].
Now is the time for the return of passenger trains to Michigan Central Station beginning with the relaying of tracks and support facilities. Detroit would again have a gateway to take pride in.