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Michigan Central Station

rbdetsport

By rbdetsport
in Detroit

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rbdetsport Burg

rbdetsport

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I was reading a book about the station that is now abandoned at Barnes & Noble. It said in 2001 there was renderings drawn up for the roosevelt park area. The station was to be used for a trade company and the median in front of the station would stay. The parks spaces on the two sides of the median would be made into a mixed-use development with dense city style buildings. The people of corktown and mexicantonw came up with the idea. It was amazing seeing the station filled with happy people. I ased my dad if he used it and he claimed that when he did it was magnificent. I was also reading a book about the 1920s- 1960s in Detroit and it was so exciting thinking that the streets could be filled again like they were in that time. The city was gleaming. Does anyone know of any new news about the Michigan Central Station?

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jsmyers Unincorporated Area

jsmyers

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Those are still not mutually exclusive.

I think the idea of expanding the DPM is a bad one.

People movers are mostly financial and technological failures.

A LRT regional system, or a local streetcar system would be great.

And I do not advocate tearing down the DPM, the financial damage has been done, and as long as the software can be upgraded and the hardware maintained, it can serve Detroit well. But we can get more bang for our buck with other technology.

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rbdetsport Burg

rbdetsport

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I think that the state should be spending money on creating a rail system to both connect to major nearby cities such as Clevelend, Chicago, and Toronto, and travel within the state. MCS is the natural center of such as system, as well as the center hub of a regional commuter system. The tower would make a great hotel on top of a station.

They could leverage some private preservation money, but it would still be extremely expensive. Since most of the "free-market" republicans in the state want to subsidize a lot of roads, but not fund transit, it seems unlikely at this time.

posted by jsmeyers on March 5, 2005.

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jsmyers Unincorporated Area

jsmyers

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I don't want to tear it down, but I haven't voted because I think most of the other options are really the same thing.

It might also be that people would like it to be a train station again, but have given up on the political machine ever supporting trains (or stopping supporting freeways).

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wolverine Town

wolverine

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Who owns that right now. The city? I also saw those renderings. They are still around as if that is still the plan on the developer's website. I don't remember the address though. It may take some searching.

But don't count on it becoming a train station again. The building as a police station, or a major hotel with convention space or someting seems a lot more practical.

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Indeed most of the Poll options are the same. I have not voted in the poll either. I should edit the poll to eliminate some of the options. Or perhaps this should be a thread without a poll where people can voice their ideas for the station. The ideas for redevelopment are not just limited to these things - think outside the box a little bit.

All of these are the same thing:

A new train station

A transportation center/terminal with connections to People mover

An expanded Central Station

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Wolverine,

The station is owned by Control Terminals, part of the trucking and transportation company that owns the Ambassador bridge. Supposedly they have done work on the flat roofs and pumped a million gallons of water from the lower portions of the station. In January 2002 they announced that they were in "serious negotiations" with a potential tenant regarding redeveloping the station as an international trade center. For now the building is just sitting and rotting. They estimate that it will take $100 million to renovate, but I don't see how it can be completed for that small of an amount, considering how much work needs to be done.

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baldy Whistle-Stop

baldy

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Yeah, this should be a discussion, not a poll. Remove the whole poll!

rbdetsport, why do you always post these polls anyway? Just pose the question if you'd like and let us discuss the topic.

I really thought the idea for the police headquarters seamed to be the most likely to go through, but with the city's current financial situation, it looks as if private financing is the only option.

I didn't know that Matty Maroun's company also owned the train station. He should donate the building and a large sum of money to renovate as thanks for basically having a license to print money (the bridge)! Oh course, I'm kidding, but I really think the bridge shouldn't be allowed to be privately owned.

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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I went ahead and removed the poll. I hope nobody minds, since I don't see a way to put it back. So discuss away!

The police station thing was just a pipe dream. It will never happen. They'd be better off getting private finances together to renovate the station.

Has the Ambassador always been privately owned? I always thought it was weird that it was privately owned.

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wolverine Town

wolverine

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I can just picture a woman running in into the building all upset that someone stole her car, only to be directed by information to the 12th floor down some random hallways. I know Detroit is high crime, but the building seems kind of oversized for a police station doesn't it?

IMO, I hope some rich developer comes along and turns it into a retail and entertainment district. That whole area needs something good. I can't see MCS going anywhere soon. There is too much interest in the building to tear it down, but I don't see any progress on getting a solid developer of the place.

Several of my friends here at U of M has been inside of the building and were pleased to find that some maintenance was being done to at least assure the building was structurally intact. Although, it's too bad Control Terminals doesn't clean out the place a bit more. At least remove all the windows and partitions inside so that there is nothing left to break. I'm sure a cleaner looking abandoned structure would look a lot more appealing to a developer. To pay for that, the building could be sold for a bit more. It's not so much the cost of the building that hurts, rather costs to renovate it. It seems like a higher property pricetag and reduced renovation costs would look more appealing. But then again, I have no idea how much the station is worth.

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dnast Hamlet

dnast

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I can just picture a woman running in into the building all upset that someone stole her car, only to be directed by information to the 12th floor down some random hallways.  I know Detroit is high crime, but the building seems kind of oversized for a police station doesn't it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought the plan was to lease office space on some of the upper floors. I could be wrong, though.

And I've been wondering about that movie, too. After a few pics of the fake subway stop, it kind of dropped off the radar.

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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I'm not sure when "The Island" is coming out. I haven't heard anything about it since I watched them film a scene on Fort Street downtown. It is a sci-fi movie that takes place in future Los Angeles.

The police station thing is just a pipe dream. Kwame ordered studies of the building, but I haven't heard anything about the results of the studies. They might still be ongoing...I don't know.

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Wait a second. Detroit is the futuristic LA. You have got to be kidding me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think so! LA is a worlds away from Detroit. LA has a strong, growing downtown. And LA knows how to bury parking lots.

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Jonzo Unincorporated Area

Jonzo

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Well, LA is much better off then Detroit but last time I was there, although the downtown was clean and well built up, it was surprisingly empty in most parts. I hardly saw any foot traffic...

maybe it was on a sunday.

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