Historic Detroit

Every building in Detroit has a story — we're here to share it

Michigan Central Station - Pre-Renovation Interior

A view from the Ticket Lobby looking southeast toward the Arcade and the Main Concourse in May 2017.

The ticket lobby / counter in June 2010.

Michigan Central Station - Looking up north from the ramp that led to train tracks. This might be the best shot to view the bridge (walkway) just south of the main concourse, connecting the southeast and southwest mezzanines.

Michigan Central Station's main concourse on Jul 5, 2010 - looking west, picture taken from the mezzanine level.

This July 2010 image was taken from the bridge (walkway) just south of the main concourse, connecting the southeast and southwest mezzanines. The main (north) entrance can be seen in the image center with the ticket windows on the left and the "Arcade" on the right.

Another angle at the Ticket Lobby from the Main Waiting Room in May 2017.

A view from a side entrance on the Northeast corner of the building, looking toward the Main Concourse.

THE EGG AND THE MICHIGAN CENTRAL TRAIN STATION was a site-specific sculptural installation and photography project by Detroit artist Scott Hocking, created within Michigan Central Depot when it was sitting abandoned in 2012.

Main Waiting Room in 2017.

View at the Main Waiting Room in April 2010 looking north.

Michigan Central Station's main waiting room on Apr 2, 2010

Michigan Central Station's arcade on Apr 2, 2010, looking at the ticket office.

A view at the northeast corner of the Main Waiting Room in 2010, with a peek inside former Woman's waiting room.

Elevator Lobby in 2017

A view of what was left of the windows on the east side of the Main Waiting Room.

A view at the Main Waiting Hall in May 2017 looking west. Large chunks of a pillar had just fallen down by the main entrance on the right.

A north view from the Main Entrance Hall with big chunk of limestone on ground - May 2017

After World War II, parts of the Dining Room were split off to create a kitchen on the first floor. This modification included the installation of a dropped ceiling, the metal framework of which can still be seen in this image from 2010.

A different view/angle at the Dining Room in 2010.

Photo taken in 2010 inside MCS's Main Concourse looking west toward the carriage entrance.

A great view of the Main Waiting Room looking northwest in April 2010

A view at the "Arcade" between Main Concourse and Ticket Lobby in June 2010

A view from the Main Concourse toward the northeast side entrance of MCS - looking east

A common activity among urban explorers and night photographers back in the good old days...here inside the ramp area by the Grand Concourse. Photo from 2011

Michigan Central Station's southeast corner of the main waiting room on Apr 2, 2010

A close-up shot of the ticket windows from June 19, 2010

Detail shot of a door inside the Main Concourse from May 2017

Looking west from withing the passenger ramp south of the Main Concourse in May 2017

Detail shot of a door inside the Main Waiting Hall from May 2017

View from the main waiting room at the main concourse through the ticket lobby.

Michigan Central Station's main waiting room on Jul 5, 2010 looking east.

A lot of the decorative panels in the Grand Waiting Room were missing but recreating those repetitive panels might not have been as challenging as it initially seemed.

Staircase in Jun 2010

Staircase to one of the upper levels in May 2017

Capture from May 2017

Office space in May 2017.

Elevator shaft in May 2017

A view at the upper floor in May 2017

One of Michigan Central Station's office floors on Jul 5, 2010

A cleaned up corridor in May 2017

Office Floor in May 2017.

Michigan Central Station's upper floor on June 19, 2010

An elevator shaft in June 2010

A view at one of the upper floors in 2010

The massive waiting room of Michigan Central

Sunlight bursts through broken glass into the waiting room

The grand window inside the MCS lobby

The ticket windows at Michigan Central Station

The lobby and waiting room of MCS

MCS' waiting room

The main entrance to MCS

The massive windows in the waiting room

The lobby of MCS lit up at night

Fog fills a room in the office tower

In September 2017, the old train station hosted its first major civic event in decades, as nearly 400 former Detroiters, along with local business and civic leaders, gathered for a dinner during the fourth annual Detroit Homecoming program.