MCS cleanup?

[davewindsor]

I can't find a thread on this here, but I was another forum recently and noticed they had a thread on Michigan Central Station being cleaned up by volunteers. There was a guy who posted pictures of himself with 49 others cleaning up the inside a week ago and then there was another article in the DFP posted where 70 Daimler employees were cleaning up Roosevelt park in front of it, raking garden beds and planting reed grass and sedum http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...relict-station
The poster was trashed to no end with personal attacks for volunteering and I saw no more pictures of what's happening with that place. It didn't surprise me. If I volunteered and posted and was trashed, I wouldn't post again either. I realize people have issues with Mouron and we have a lot of complainers in Windsor too over the bridge. But, this is such an amazing feat of architecture for this local area that was almost demo'd and a lot of volunteers took the time to clean it up to show that it's worth saving. Being that I'm from across the river and not down that much, is there anyone from that group here or will anyone be posting more pictures of the progress on what's happening with the MCS? Is Mouron going to put windows on it in the future if it's cleaned up. I wish there was more positive feedback on what's happening and going to happen with that place.

[Chub]

Why did it take volunteers to start cleaning? Why didn't Mr. Mouron just pay a crew to clean it himself? This is the thought I first had when seeing this.

[detmich]

I read the thread, the posts to the volunteers basically asked what Chub asked. Why does it have to be volunteers helping a rich guy. Why not helping some poor folks? Clean up their houses and do some repairs?

On another note, what exactly is so architecturally amazing or significant about MCS? It gets a lot of attention because it is EMPTY, not because it is the North American Acropolis. Stop being so gullible and thinking this helps the cause of Detroit. All it has done is given Matty Moroun more arrows in his quiver.

[gazhekwe]

Maybe we all think the owner of this site should bear the responsibility for cleaning it up. Well, he isn't, and the City isn't making him.

Does that mean people in the neighborhood must live with an eyesore? No, it does not. If one can raise volunteer muscle power and donated resources to improve the appearance of a major area in the neighborhood, it improves the area's image and gives it a big lift. Those who contribute can feel that they have done a great thing for their community. More power to them, and may it profit them much.

The grumbling naysayers, who do not have to live in the shadow of the ruins, can continue to make ugly about it, but their approach accomplishes nothing.

[davewindsor]

I don't see how it's gullible to volunteer to clean it. It's not like an organization like Habitat that's donating materials and bringing the property up to code through their efforts. Obviously, spending the hundreds of millions bringing it up to code should be his problem if the Detroit market ever turns around. But, they're just cleaning up the trash. I guess you prefer living in areas with garbage surrounding you? That's just sad, bud.

From what I heard, millionaire James Scott who donated the money to build the Scott fountain on Belle Isle in 1910 was hated by a lot of Detroiters, yet they built the fountain and a statue of him in honour of him with the money he donated for it and still the public cleans and maintains it to this date. What's the difference? The building and the fountain are works of art meant for all to see and appreciate. I guess you should be starting your protest against the public maintaining the Scott Fountain too.

Any cleaning effort helps the cause of Detroit, even it's it just picking up a piece of garbage on your neighbour's sidewalk.

I read the thread, the posts to the volunteers basically asked what Chub asked. Why does it have to be volunteers helping a rich guy. Why not helping some poor folks? Clean up their houses and do some repairs?

On another note, what exactly is so architecturally amazing or significant about MCS? It gets a lot of attention because it is EMPTY, not because it is the North American Acropolis. Stop being so gullible and thinking this helps the cause of Detroit. All it has done is given Matty Moroun more arrows in his quiver.

[Bearinabox]

How does cleaning junk out of the inside of the station make it any prettier to look at from the outside? All it really does is allow Matty to say "hey, I'm doing something!" when people call him out on having done nothing whatsoever for as long as he's owned the station. And if City Council really is dumb enough to knock it down and try to send him the bill, he can pull out the publicity shots of Dan Stamper shaking volunteers' hands and say "think of the children!" Methinks he's playing these kids like violins. If they don't mind, I guess that's up to them. Personally, I have no interest in becoming part of Matty's PR machine and contributing to the further neglect of the train station.

[j to the jeremy]

Roosevelt Park planting - Fantastic.

Cleaning the inside of MCS for Maroun- Interesting but not sure I see the point. Let's see what else happens.

[Andrew in Windsor]

Personally, I have no interest in becoming part of Matty's PR machine

Matty's PR machine has a first name,
It's D-A-N.
Matty's PR machine second name,
It's S-T-A-M-P-E-R...

No shit. A multi-gajillionaire has "volunteers" cleaning up his decrepit mess... That takes the cake.

[daddeeo]

Too bad more people don't clean up their own neighborhoods in Detroit. Blight Busters is a start.

[gazhekwe]

Really. I don't live in the city but nearby, and I am just sick of people cruising through my neighborhood throwing their trash out the window. I an not saying they are Detroiters, just random dummies. Should I wait til somebody else picks it up? I would wait a long time. It's much easier to pick it up and not have to look at it. I feel the same about overgrown eyesores like Roosevelt Park and the outside of the MCS.

[Bearinabox]

Really. I don't live in the city but nearby, and I am just sick of people cruising through my neighborhood throwing their trash out the window. I an not saying they are Detroiters, just random dummies. Should I wait til somebody else picks it up? I would wait a long time. It's much easier to pick it up and not have to look at it. I feel the same about overgrown eyesores like Roosevelt Park and the outside of the MCS.

You'd be absolutely right, if the group davewindsor was referring to were working on either of those things.

[Fury13]

On another note, what exactly is so architecturally amazing or significant about MCS? It gets a lot of attention because it is EMPTY, not because it is the North American Acropolis.

It's a pretty nice example of Beaux-Arts/neoclassical architecture, actually. It was a handsome building in its heyday.

[FlyByDon]

Newest Aerial Images of Michigan Central Station July 2009

FlyByDon

[Russix]

Yesterday was a very successful volunteer day to say the least and we owe a major thanks to the station owner and Summer in the City for playing a key role in the cleanup effort.

Do to safety concerns we are capping the number of volunteers at the station to 60 volunteers. Additionally, every volunteer must sign up ahead of time on www.SaveMichiganCentral.com if they want to be apart of the action. Since we are partnering with Summer in the City and utilizing their insurance policy as well as other resources there is a $20 registration fee. I was able to work out a deal making is so the registration fee is not required, but it will give you priority if you want to volunteer at the MCS given the limited number of spots.

Signing up on www.SaveMichiganCentral.com will put you on the email list for upcoming volunteer days.

So I guess there is a waiting list to volunteer now?

EDIT: I just signed up, they email you each week with a list of volunteer days.

[Blarf]

Be careful on the 2nd floor over looking the lobby. A buddy of may or may not have taken a huge dump there not too long ago. Sometimes nature calls I guess.

[Gistok]

This is rather interesting... they already have a website up for volunteerring... that took some forethought!

Back in 2000 the City asked Preservation Wayne [[or did PW volunteer)... to clean up the fallen plasterwork inside the National Theatre, so that the city [[the owner) could better market the building to would be developers.

But this is different. A billionaire getting volunteers to clean up the MCS.... hmmmm.... I'm sure that there are folks who volunteered, and God bless them... but the preservation community and the "major websites" that promote Detroit [[or rip into it...) found this out sort of "after the fact".

This is definitely not the modus operandi of the Ilitch's [[all demo jokes aside)... they're having J. C. Beale doing their cleanup work of the United Artists complex... and Beale is a professional company.

Hmmm... maybe Maroun figures he can get extra mileage out of this with the appearance of volunteers donating their time to save this treasure.... won't cost him much, and it'll tie in nicely with the volunteer work on Roosevelt Park [[unrelated to this, except by timing).

I won't begrudge anyone who wants to volunteer to clean the inside of the MCS with their free time... but I think that most folks here and on other websites are savy enough to see what's going on here.

He can afford to pay professionals, but it doesn't provide the mileage of publicity that unpaid volunteers can...

As for anyone questioning what's so special about the MCS? An early 20th century architecture book might be of some help in answering that question. Although it does look nightmarish in its' current condition, it was a beauty in its' day... the tallest train station in the world when it was built.

[SUBVET]

What I don't understand is why do people care where other people volunteer their time? Whether it is at the MCS or at a soup kitchen - is it offensive or is it the fact that some people are out doing SOMETHING where others are just sitting back complaining just to complain.

Personally - I am just happy that there are people out there who just give a crap about something...anything. This is coming from someone who has logged over 300+ cumulative hours at Historic Fort Wayne. Yet another site that people view as defunct and hopeless to save...but I can't think like that.

Let's just be thankful that people are committing their time - regardless whether it's aiding some rich guy or not.

~Subvet

*** Don't forget - "Civil War Days" at Historic Fort Wayne this weekend 7/11-7/12! FREE admission!***

[ventura67]

Far from a first time poster, somehow my ID disappeared and now I have my old ID back. Longtime fan of the MCS.

Anyway, Saturday night [[4th) I was leaving Mexican Town and did my usual driveby to check-in with the station. Was very surprised to see the cleaned-up properties. But now am more intrigued as I read this thread and by who I saw and talked to there.

There was a small crew watering the plants through the fence on MCS property I asked one woman what was going on- "I don't know, I was just told to come down here and water these plants". Looked over at their trucks- Ambassador Bridge Facilities Maintenance. Hmm. Chatted with a couple of other workers, nothing too engaging. But later realized that one of the men was likely Maroun himself [[I would of asked him at the time but didn't think of it until I had left). If someone can post a pic of him I'll try to verify. Why would he be down there with members of his maintenance crew?

Obviously, even if volunteers have done most of the work, the bridge company has some amount of investment tied-up in this project. [[Believe me, seems to me like the absolute least they could be doing after so many years of gross neglect!)

Otherwise I was amazed to see the planting beds, and the considerable amount of effort put into doing something with the front "yard" of the building. The interior, so far as I could see, did look considerably cleaner and there were two porta-pottys in the entrance [[could only be sanctioned by the bridge company). There was also an artist doing a large-scale portrait of the building on a construction of old window frames further down the park's boulevard.

Something's in the air for the MCS, but is it far too late? I did think the fading, sylvan-like nature of Roosevelt Park added a nice touch to the station, but then I've been watching this station long enough to remember the wild trees that used to grow in these same beds that are now being planted. Ahh the old days, when we just walked right in the front door on any given afternoon to enjoy the quiet of Detroit's [[the country's) greatest ruin.

[Andrew in Windsor]

Caught this in my Google News Alerts...

http://www.cruzweb.net/2009/07/04/ex...depot-edition/

[Gsgeorge]

I don't care who does it or how it's done -- cleaning & attempting to save the station sounds like a good thing to me.

[Pam]

Be careful on the 2nd floor over looking the lobby. A buddy of may or may not have taken a huge dump there not too long ago. Sometimes nature calls I guess.

there were two porta-pottys in the entrance [[could only be sanctioned by the bridge company).

I guess someone found it.

[cman710]

I am very impressed by the efforts of these volunteers. Actually getting Dan Stamper & Co. to allow them to do anything had to have been quite a task in itself. I am looking forward to seeing the results of some of this work soon.

[Johnlodge]

Did Summer In The City make it known to its donors that it would be using the money they received to improve the city in order to clean the building of a billionaire who refuses to do or pay for the work himself? Do you think those who gave money would find this an acceptable use of their donation? Seems to me this could make potential donors who are familiar with the Matty/MCS situation far less likely to contribute in the future.

[DocTerry]

Good point, JohnLodge - I hope you aren't the only one asking this question.

[gazhekwe]

I made this point before: If it improves the neighborhood, who cares? People who live and work there are sure to appreciate the improvements, and it will give the whole area a more dynamic look. If the owner won't do it, and the city won't make him, why should we as residents of the area, or visitors, or people who appreciate the building, put in a little sweat equity to make it look better? Who loses with that scenario? No one. There is a great deal of satisfaction to be gained in making an eyesore look good, no matter who SHOULD be doing it.