Did You Know? Michigan Central Station

New life is being put into an old building that has been closed for decades.  

The Michigan Central Station is a historic landmark located in Detroit’s Corktown neighbourhood.  

The station was built in 1913 and trains would run in and out of the station for almost 75 years. Prior to the construction Michigan Central Railroad operated out of a depot located near the river and Third Street about where Joe Louis Arena once stood. It was used partially to accommodate rail traffic from the Detroit-Windsor rail tunnel, which opened in 1910.  

As the decades went on the writing was on the walls. In the 1950s rail travel saw a sharp decline which left this building empty and nothing but a canvas for vandals and other activity.  

In 2018 the station was starting to experience new life as the Ford Motor Company purchased the station and announced its plan to renovate the building. The building will become a mix of retail and residential areas. During the renovations numerous bottles of whisky that were buried in the basement walls were found. 

On June 6, 2024, the station will re-open for the first time since its closure and residents from either side of the border are invited to come out and see the renovations that have been done.