Michigan Central Station Reopens After Ford Renovations

Ford has been working on an extensive renovation project of Michigan Central Station for over six years now, and at long last, the station is finally opening to offer the public its first glance at the interior restoration of its historic ground floor. The historic reopening will be made official with an event, Michigan Central OPEN, from June 6th to 16th to welcome the community back.

Ford first undertook this project in 2018 after acquiring the then-abandoned train station to be the centerpiece of Michigan Central, a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood designed to bring Ford employees together with external partners, entrepreneurs, students, and even competitors. Michigan Central will be a place for the Ford family to co-create new products, services, and technologies to provide new value to the new generation of Ford customers, and to help build a better world. 

Ford’s restoration and preservation of the historic station is also proof of the company’s commitment to the history and community of its hometown in Detroit, Michigan. “Michigan Central means a great deal to us all. In many ways, this building tells the story of our city,” said Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford. “This Station was our Ellis Island – a place where dreamers in search of new jobs and new opportunities first set foot in Detroit. But once the last train pulled out, it became a place where hope left. In 2018, I decided it was time to change that by reimagining this station as a place of possibility again. Over the past six years, Ford Motor Company and teams of forward thinkers, designers, community leaders, and more than 3,000 skilled tradespeople have worked to bring this landmark back to life.”

For the past six years, the stunning Beaux-Arts building has been getting the prime treatment to restore its classical façade and ornate interiors to their former glory, from the Grand Hall with its 54-foot Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling to the arcade, ticket lobby, and restaurant. Over 1.7 million hours have gone into the project since it began in 2018.

“I wanted Michigan Central to be beautifully restored but also reimagined for so much more,” Bill Ford said. “This will be a place for the community to enjoy and a destination for visitors from all over. We will have restaurants, music, art, and great retail. And the innovation that will happen here, with startups and companies big and small, will help ensure Detroit preserves its title as the Motor City for generations to come.”

“Thanks to the thousands of people who contributed to this project, one of the city’s most treasured landmarks has been brought back to life, while creating a space that will take us into the future,” said Joshua Sirefman, CEO of Michigan Central. “Michigan Central will advance mobility solutions that help solve some of society’s biggest challenges. It will also be a powerful catalyst for growth and an economic engine for this region.”

From June 6-16, Ford and Michigan Central will host Michigan Central OPEN to welcome the community back into the space. Festivities will feature musical concerts, immersive open house experiences, and even an art program featuring a new iteration of Reddymade’s me + you, a critically acclaimed interactive sculpture, made especially for the restored station.