Ford supports revitalization of downtown Detroit Michigan

A historic Michigan landmark is getting a facelift thanks to the Ford Motor Company after sitting vacant for more than three decades.

Ford purchased Michigan Central Station, which has become an “infamous symbol of Detroit,” in 2018. Over the past six years, 3,100 skilled craftsmen have worked 1.7 million hours to fully restore the station, so it can house the automaker’s self-driving car. . The team as well as shops and restaurants that will be open to the public.

The abandoned train station, which opened Thursday for the first time in 34 years, is now the centerpiece of Michigan Central, described as a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood.

Ford isn’t just planning to house its employees. It expects the newly revitalized area will also attract companies, entrepreneurs and students “to create new products, services and technologies that add value to a new generation of Ford customers and help build a better world,” according to Ford, where it is headquartered. They are located in Dearborn, Michigan.

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“This is an iconic building that really represents the decline of Detroit in many Midwestern cities,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said on “Barron’s Roundtable” Thursday, boasting that the city and the company are growing simultaneously.

Michigan Central Station. (Ford/Michigan Central)

“Ford Motor Company is growing. We haven’t gone bankrupt in many years. And now, despite the headwinds for electric vehicles, the city is booming. Ford is starting to boom,” Farley said.

He described the station as not only beautiful, but “a symbol of what can be done in America.”

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The station, originally designed by the architects behind New York’s famous Grand Central Terminal, opened its doors in 1913. At one time, it handled 4,000 passengers a day. However, it closed in 1988 after decades of decline in rail travel. The building suffered severe neglect, weathering, decay and vandalism before the automaker decided to replace it.

Not only has the company invested tens of millions in the building, but the surrounding 30 acres have also been transformed into what Ford says is a new hub for the future of innovation and the American auto industry and a blueprint for urban renewal across America.

Later this year, the company will move its Ford Model e and Ford Integrated Services teams into newly renovated office space spread over three floors. About 1,000 Ford employees will be working throughout the central Michigan region by the end of the year. However, they are looking to double this number by 2028.

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There will also be a dedicated youth programming floor in the station tower with 23,000 square feet of flexible space to house local and national organizations aimed at “developing the next generation,” according to Ford.

Not only will there be a “network of green spaces,” but local programs and events will also be held in the area, in addition to artistic and cultural opportunities, according to the company.