Ford Brings Life to Long-Abandoned Michigan Central Depot in Detroit

“Normally I’m not in favor of tearing down historic structures, but in this case I make an exception. Where, in this economy, is the demand for 500,000 sq ft of highly blighted space in a building whose structural integrity is at least questionable? Are we expected to let another 5, 10 years pass before the economy recovers and a reuse for the building can be found?”

This is a quote from a 2009 Mlive article praising the Detroit City Council for ordering the demolition of Michigan Central Station which doesn’t seem that long ago but today we stood in front of what was a global symbol of Detroit’s downfall and celebrated as it will now be an icon of Detroit’s revival.

The Michigan Central Station will also become the home to Ford Motor Company’s autonomous vehicle and smart city business, where they’ll once again transform the way people move around the world—cementing Detroit as the global epicenter of future mobility. Absolutely incredible.

I’m so happy every day to get to be a part of historic moments like this and so proud of what our industry is doing for communities.