I puzzled over how to title this thread because, well, the name chosen for the public-private district centered on Ford's being-renovated Michigan Central ~Depot~ is so unsurprising. Michigan Central.

The plans for "Michigan Central" [Ford's name noticeably absent] were detailed yesterday and highlighted by news of Google's participation in an effort to create a mini Silicon Valley of business enterprises and educational facilities. The State of Michigan is playing along to the tune of $126 million.

I think this is a most exciting and long-term beneficial project that keeps Detroit and Michigan on the cutting edge with the future of tech and industry with the preservation of a major work of architecture tossed in.

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Under the partnership, the state is to direct more than $126 million in new and existing programs and spending to support or complement Ford's district, to be called Michigan Central.

Included in the announcement was news that Google will be a founding member of the district and also provide free computer science classes for local high schoolers inside the former train station. Detroit will be the first Midwest city to have those after-school and weekend classes for teens made available through Google's Code Next Lab program.

Last year, Google won a six-year contract to be Ford's “preferred” cloud-computing services provider and install Android- powered Google services in Ford and Lincoln vehicles. As part of the public-private partnership, the city of Detroit has a tentative agreement to designate a special Transportation Innovation Zone testing site within the Michigan Central district. The zone would give businesses and startups expedited approvals for trying out new technologies.
https://freep-mi.newsmemory.com?publ...a03808_1348351