Detroit's old Michigan Central Train Station

[GTW6401]

Is it practical to tear it down though? Aside from the rooms under the approach to the tunnel under the river, are there other parts of the foundation which, if removed, would require expensive infrastructure changes to non-station structures?

The CP mainline is pretty far away from the depot itself, so the removal of it would cause minimal disruptions to train service.

It seems that if demolishing the station would cause significant expenses to be incurred by entities not affiliated with the demolition of the station, the city would have to remedy those expenses before condemning the structure under the blight laws...

Of course it will cost money the City of Detroit does not have to tear down the depot, but a lot of rust-belt cities see the stimulus money as a financial savior. Also, keep in mind that you’re talking about the Detroit City Council, so youll never see any rational decisions from them.

Another thing to consider is Morouns political alliance with the Kilpatrick family. His ties with Kwame are how the proposal to make the depot into the new police headquarters came about because Moroun would make a lot of money from the city. Moroun is also asking Kwame’s mom, US Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick to intervene in the building of a second bridge spanning the Detroit River, which both US and Canadian officials support. Its all politics to why the choice to remove the building came about after Kwame left.

[Cinderpath]

The laughable part was the city budgeted $3 Million to tear it down, this easily a $10 million dollar job. Sadly after having spent a lot of time in there recently, there is some serious structural issues with the building, to restore, it would literally be a half-billion dollars (seriously), which will never happen, because if a half-billion were to be spent anywhere in Detroit, the greedy, corrupt city officials would need to find a way to get their, and their cronies paws in it.

[JDavis21835]

The laughable part was the city budgeted $3 Million to tear it down, this easily a $10 million dollar job.

That all depends on the contractor. Look at Tiger Stadium as a prime example. If there is a decent amount of metals in the building, then it will be cheaper. I used to work for a few demo companies. In fact, the one company I worked for while in Lansing paid GM for the privilege of wrecking the plants, plus split the profits from scrap sales with GM.

As for your structures that are under the road, no big deal. Go in, remove everything except for concrete and any major structural items. Then fill it with flow able fill. Basically a mixture of flyash, portland cement, and water. It runs like water, and in a matter of hours, its well onto being hard as a rock.

[J T]

Sadly after having spent a lot of time in there recently, there is some serious structural issues with the building, to restore...

Did you get any photos? I'd love to see them if you did.

[GP30M4216]

The REA/Baggage rooms extend all the way from the back of the concourse south to the north edge of Newark Street - including under the active twin track mainline going between the Tunnel entry and West Detroit Junction. So yes, if you knocked down the part of MC that everyone sees, you would have complications as it's all one interconnected building. I'm sure the city council has no idea about that.....

I think we can consider the Book Cadillac as an excellent eaxmple of the type of work that would be required to repair the MC Station. That was a nearly $200 million deal. Not half a billion. Don't forget, if they restore the building, they can take advantage of the newly reformatted Historic Preservation Tax Credits for Federal and Michigan Taxes, which can make the project a lot more worthwhile.

[Cinderpath]

The REA/Baggage rooms extend all the way from the back of the concourse south to the north edge of Newark Street - including under the active twin track mainline going between the Tunnel entry and West Detroit Junction. So yes, if you knocked down the part of MC that everyone sees, you would have complications as it's all one interconnected building. I'm sure the city council has no idea about that.....

I think we can consider the Book Cadillac as an excellent eaxmple of the type of work that would be required to repair the MC Station. That was a nearly $200 million deal. Not half a billion. Don't forget, if they restore the building, they can take advantage of the newly reformatted Historic Preservation Tax Credits for Federal and Michigan Taxes, which can make the project a lot more worthwhile.

MC Station is in much, much worse shape than Book Cadillac was, and as the poster above mentioned "The REA/Baggage rooms extend all the way from the back of the concourse south to the north edge of Newark Street - including under the active twin track mainline going between the Tunnel entry and West Detroit Junction. So yes, if you knocked down the part of MC that everyone sees, you would have complications as it's all one interconnected building. I'm sure the city council has no idea about that....."

A restoration would have to have those issues resolved, + structural work. Many parts of the basement are underground lakes, are flooded, and after many freeze thaw cycles, had eroded, and damaged the foundation. When you start looking at new basements, and serious foundation work, etc, it'll cost way more than $200 million, as well if any of the original ornate carvings, and stone work were exactly restored, and in most cases would have to be re-created from scratch, as they were stolen years ago, that would drive the cost up significantly.

Believe me I am all for saving it and restoring it, but am looking at the cost more realistically. Everybody who has been in there recently comes back with the same feeling. Besides the nitwits in Detroit City government can't get their act together to save Cobo, what are the chances this crew of saving MCS?

As I of say about all things Detroit: Potential-Vast, Likelihood-Dim.

If anybody is interested, in going there sometime, let me know we could do a "Meet Up" there. It is obviously better for a small group to go.

[Cinderpath]

Sadly after having spent a lot of time in there recently, there is some serious structural issues with the building, to restore...

Did you get any photos? I'd love to see them if you did.

I'll have to dig them out-

Here is a great link BTW

http://onlyndetroit.com/html/decay/ond- ... _abord.htm#

[CAT345C]

wow tear it down. Thats pretty bad.

[J T]

I'll have to dig them out-

Here is a great link BTW

http://onlyndetroit.com/html/decay/ond- ... _abord.htm#

I've seen that site before. The then and now shots are amazing. So very sad.

I really appreciate the creativity you put into your railroad photos, so I'm looking forward to seeing how you photographed "ruins" like this.

[jukeman45]

by TSB on Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:29 pm
People get old and are sent into exile to waste away and die.

You're not in exile are you?

[azimmer]

I cannot believe all the silly sentiment that continues to be expressed over this bygone station. Why spend time, money, and effort to preserve this useless hulk? Just tear it down and move on to better things.

People do things differently now. No one requires palatial splendor and opulence just to be able to board a train. The Amtrak station in Birmingham, for example, is nothing more than a displaced bus stop. Tickets can be purchased from a vending machine. We can do without the glorious artwork, the magnificent barbershops and restaurants, and the uniformed, smiling sales agents.

The place is an unsalvageable eyesore. If you want preservation, there are plenty of photographs of the former MC station. Such images should satisfy all those who, for some reason, are stuck with living in the past. Why bother erecting a hugely expensive physical temple to a dead and irretrievable era? It is only the future that is important.

Maybe the demolition company that finally trashes the MC station should give away (or sell) pieces and chunks from the rubble. All these die-hard nostalgia freaks could then proudly display these chunks and pieces next to their bricks form J.L. Hudson and the old Tiger Stadium.

Whew! It's no wonder Michigan has become such an economic backwater. All the movers and shakers have relocated to other places. All that's left is an army of nostalgic brick collectors moaning about the forgotten past.

AZ

[TSB]

No one requires palatial splendor and opulence just to be able to board a train.

Absolutely correct. That sort of thing is wasted on anything housing something less glorious than the U.S. government or possibly a corporate headquarters.

[TSB]

You're not in exile are you?

Self imposed by extreme poor health. Then I got well.

Too late now.

[J T]

Whew! It's no wonder Michigan has become such an economic backwater. All the movers and shakers have relocated to other places. All that's left is an army of nostalgic brick collectors moaning about the forgotten past.

Yeah, because the renovation of historical structures only takes place in Michigan.

If it wasn't for sentiment, many of our historical treasures would not exist today. I'm not saying this train station deserves to be saved or torn down, I really have no feelings one way or the other at this time. But you shouldn't condemn the sentiment of those who want to preserve our past, whether it's railroad related or not.

By the way, the type of stations in other cities that people use to board Amtrak trains is completely irrelevent to the past and future existence of this structure. How many depots around the country have been preserved and used for business that have nothing do with the railroad? I'd say a majority based on what we have here in Michigan.

[PlymouthStationGuy]

What would everyone have an abanded building standing or another vacant lot in Detroit that in a few years the grass whats left of it will become as tall as trees and it will be place for people to get rid of their trash, abanded cars and 200lbs of frozen chicken that the market owner cant sell. So what the difference.

[CSX_CO]

I, for one, am all for historical preservation of structures and equipment. HOWEVER, in some cases, the item is too far gone for restoration, and it should be scrapped or 'let go'. Let it be a lesson to how precious history is, and how quickly it can disappear. Based upon those photos, that station is a 'loss'. It would take every bit of 1/2 Billion to fix up, and my guess is that would only scratch the surface. Truely sad, but it can serve as a lesson.

Practice Safe CSX

[hoborich]

The City of Detroit has a long history of allowing historic buildings to just decay and decline, until they are too far gone to save. The same thing happened with the historic Monroe Block, despite federal grants to restore it. The same thing is happening with historic fire stations. It happened with Hudsons.

[PerRock]

This was passed on to me. A petiton to keep it. Sign it if you like.

http://www.petitiononline.com/3044/petition.html

peter

Edit here are some others:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform ... FTnVZQWc6M A

And a Facebook Group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=178565380054

[CAT345C]

hot darn I'm #11 to sign it, wow waste, tear the place down.

[SD80MAC]

I cannot believe all the silly sentiment that continues to be expressed over this bygone station. Why spend time, money, and effort to preserve this useless hulk? Just tear it down and move on to better things.

People do things differently now. No one requires palatial splendor and opulence just to be able to board a train. The Amtrak station in Birmingham, for example, is nothing more than a displaced bus stop. Tickets can be purchased from a vending machine. We can do without the glorious artwork, the magnificent barbershops and restaurants, and the uniformed, smiling sales agents.

The place is an unsalvageable eyesore. If you want preservation, there are plenty of photographs of the former MC station. Such images should satisfy all those who, for some reason, are stuck with living in the past. Why bother erecting a hugely expensive physical temple to a dead and irretrievable era? It is only the future that is important.

Maybe the demolition company that finally trashes the MC station should give away (or sell) pieces and chunks from the rubble. All these die-hard nostalgia freaks could then proudly display these chunks and pieces next to their bricks form J.L. Hudson and the old Tiger Stadium.

Whew! It's no wonder Michigan has become such an economic backwater. All the movers and shakers have relocated to other places. All that's left is an army of nostalgic brick collectors moaning about the forgotten past.

AZ

That has to be one of the most arrogant, not to mention ignorant, statements I have ever read. Ever.