Inside Michigan Central: Take a photo and video tour ahead of this week's grand opening

Michigan Central tour: A look at Ford's renovations

Take a virtual tour of Detroit's Michigan Central after six years of renovations to revitalize the blighted former train depot. Ford maintained what could be saved from the historic building and replicated what was too damaged after three decades of neglect.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Ford Motor Co. took on a huge task when it purchased Detroit's Michigan Central Station six years ago, with promises of bringing the long-abandoned building back to life.

And they had their work cut out for them.

(I know you're here for the photos – the gallery is below).

When Ford bought Michigan Central, the once great transportation hub had been vacant for 30 years. After the last train rolled out in 1988, it was left to rot with no certain future. Many plans were proposed for the space, but nothing came to be. Some suggested making it into a casino or a police headquarters. Others pushed to tear it down. However, it is on the National Register of Historic Places, so demolition wasn't an option.

The front of Michigan Central in May 2024 (Amber Ainsworth/FOX 2)

So, Michigan Central stood empty, save for the vandals and urban explorers who traversed the large, blighted building. As thieves tore apart the building and made off with valuables that were left behind, it fell into a state of disrepair and became a symbol of decay in Detroit.

However, as momentum behind Detroit's revival grew, so did Michigan Central's rebirth. Today, the facade tells a story of rebirth and preservation.

The public will get its first in-person look at the newly renovated building this week. Ford promised to keep the historic elements of the train depot as it renovated it into a home for its autonomous vehicle team.

Crews worked meticulously to restore what could be saved and recreate the elements that couldn't.

Much of the station was heavily damaged by water during the 30 years it was empty, and that damage is still visible even today, a mixing of the old and the new. Look closely at the columns on the main floor and you'll see pockmarks, evidence of the water that poured into MCS for years.

Michigan Central's history is told through remnants of the past, like worn columns from water damage (Amber Ainsworth/FOX 2)

Ford pumped about 3.5 million gallons of water out of the building over the course of 18 months. The water was particularly challenging because it changed the coloring of some stone and plaster, damage that took numerous layers of paint over several weeks to hide.

There's other evidence of Michigan Central's storied history that Ford kept as well, from lights crafted using old photos and drawings to 3D-printed pediments that took a trip all the way to Maine to recreate them perfectly.

A pediment from Maine was used to 3D print replicas for Michigan Central, like this one in the grand waiting room (Amber Ainsworth/FOX 2)

In the grand waiting room, you'll find restored marble floors. Look at the ground where the benches once were, and you'll see the marble eroded from the feet of passengers awaiting their trains.

While in that waiting room, look up. On the ceiling is a mix of old and restored tiles, which are held up by more than 8 miles of grout.

"Our construction teams have accomplished what many thought was impossible," said Ron Staley, the executive director of Historic Preservation for Christman-Brinker, the Detroit-based joint venture that led the restoration work. "The result is amazing, like no other project any of us have worked on in our careers, and I look forward to everyone experiencing the space at this week's opening and for generations to come."

The ceiling of the grand waiting room consists of both new and restored tiles (Amber Ainsworth/FOX 2)

Beyond the stone and marble, you'll see graffiti on some walls. Ford chose to show all chapters of MCS by preserving some of the graffiti that was added during the decades that the building was empty.

Ford left some graffiti to tell all parts of the train station's story (Amber Ainsworth/FOX 2)

At its peak, Michigan Central saw some 4,000 passengers a day. As the new chapter begins, tens of thousands of people are expected to flock to the building this summer to witness its revival.