New windows for Michigan Central Depot confirmed

**ParisianLesion** · February-23-15, 03:25 PM

UPDATE: Jump to picture of new windows in place and recent discussion >>

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Make of it what ye will.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in....html#comments

**Scottathew** · February-23-15, 03:48 PM

This is fantastic news. This really show's Matty Maroun's commitment to replace all MCS windows by the end of this decade.

**hybridy** · February-23-15, 04:12 PM

"A spokesman for the Moroun family confirmed that Chamberlain had the assignment but could not give a cost estimate or a timetable for when the work would be done."

MCS and the morons are like herpes...just when you start to forget about it some shit puff piece flares em up again

**stinkytofu** · February-23-15, 04:14 PM

I'm sure this won't happen, but even if it does it makes no sense. Why do this unless they have a tenant lined up? Why spend money on windows then have to wait a long time until you renovate it into something useful?

Unsurprisingly, sounds like a load of BS to me.

**Wesley Mouch** · February-23-15, 04:39 PM

Confirmed? With Mr. Maroun, I'll wait for 'INSTALLED'.

**JDKeepsmiling** · February-23-15, 04:43 PM

Ok, I am far from a huge Moroun fan, but this makes sense. Matty is not altruistic at all, but no one could ever accuse him of not being able to make a buck. He sees that the area around is getting better, plus I am sure he has gotten all kinds of tax credits.

You have to put windows in to secure the building. it is simple. It actually saves money, preventing damage. If the part about the asbestos, elevator and electrical is correct, he is stabilizing the building. My guess is to sell.

Again, not defending Matty, but the guy knows how to extract every dollar from an asset. There is a reason behind this.

Plus he waited till the annoucment that an Applebees would be coming. Combine that with windows on the MCS, and truly the end must be nigh.

**ABetterDetroit** · February-23-15, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by JDKeepsmiling

Ok, I am far from a huge Moroun fan, but this makes sense. Matty is not altruistic at all, but no one could ever accuse him of not being able to make a buck. He sees that the area around is getting better, plus I am sure he has gotten all kinds of tax credits.

You have to put windows in to secure the building. it is simple. It actually saves money, preventing damage. If the part about the asbestos, elevator and electrical is correct, he is stabilizing the building. My guess is to sell.

Again, not defending Matty, but the guy knows how to extract every dollar from an asset. There is a reason behind this.

Plus he waited till the annoucment that an Applebees would be coming. Combine that with windows on the MCS, and truly the end must be nigh.

LoL, Applebees, a game changer!

I will believe the windows myself when I see them.

Interesting thought tho on the selling. What do people think would be a good viable action plan for a MCS restoration if a buyer did appear who wasn't a holder but the do something with it immediately type?

**Gpwrangler** · February-23-15, 05:47 PM

The real shame is the sheer waste of allowing the building to be vandalized and destroyed over a period of years.

**JDKeepsmiling** · February-23-15, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

LoL, Applebees, a game changer!

my post was heavy with sarcasm at this point....

**BankruptcyGuy** · February-23-15, 08:30 PM

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I love this picture. Very useful.

**ABetterDetroit** · February-23-15, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by JDKeepsmiling

my post was heavy with sarcasm at this point....

oh I know. good sarcasm is funny to me

**Hypestyles** · February-23-15, 09:36 PM

.. it should be seized on principle.

**Dexlin** · February-23-15, 10:44 PM

I'm honestly confused by this. While I'm sure fewer of them will be knocked out than before for the simple fact that there is a fence up around the place, now, you're still begging vandals to try. If you're not going to renovate the building, this really doesn't make sense. This is really putting the cart before the force. When the thing ends up being renovated, they'll probably have to take some of the windows out, anyway. This obssession they have with the windows as some kind of mark that they are doing something with the place is just bizarre. The elevator made far more sense. The place has already been exposed to the elements for too long for windows to matter short of this being in conjunction with a full-on renovation.

No, this doesn't make sense from neither a structural nor PR perspective. I know they think we're dumb; but I didn't realize they thought we were this dumb.

**Gistok** · February-23-15, 11:13 PM

How is this any different that what Ilitch did to the United Artists Building. He has no plans either for his building, and yet he cleaned it up and put a new roof on, and cleaned up the windows?

If Maroun actually goes thru the task and mothballs the building for "potential" future use... then there's really nothing to complain about. There's more to complain by NOT doing it. When you're a billionaire a couple million in new windows is chump change.

Of course that's not to say he doesn't have something up his sleeve...

**archfan** · February-24-15, 01:46 AM

Putting the windows on - however slowly - gives him a defense against seizure of the building for blight.

**mikeg19** · February-24-15, 07:17 AM

Call me a skeptic, but it seems like progress. That bit regarding the "no timeframe, no cost estimate" is certainly cause for concern.

I'm wondering though, have the roofs been fixed yet? I know it was on the docket of crap that we were fed is on tap to be repaired, but you'd THINK that they would need the windows AND roofs to be repaired to keep out water and snow.

And regarding the putting in windows just to have the place broken into and having them smashed again, isn't there full time security guard[[s) on site now? I thought that there was now round the clock security on site.

**Johnnny5** · February-24-15, 08:17 AM

I doubt it's a coincidence that every time a bit of progress is made on the new international crossing Matty announces some token repairs to the MCS.

**jackie5275** · February-24-15, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by archfan

Putting the windows on - however slowly - gives him a defense against seizure of the building for blight.

At first, I was going to say "publicity stunt" regarding the windows, but this makes the most sense.

**stasu1213** · February-24-15, 10:20 AM

Total bull. Mary had been sitting on that building for years while probably paying off elected officials to look the other way while handing him bogus citations

**MSUguy** · February-25-15, 06:18 AM

End of the year? We'll see, but at least it's not coming from Matty's mouth.

The Chamberlain's installed a few mock-up windows at the train station about a year ago to let the Moroun family that owns the station see the possibilities. Neither Chamberlain nor a spokesman for the Morouns would say what the total window replacement will cost, but Chamberlain gave a rough timetable for the work.
Once a service elevator is installed at the station, probably in the next few weeks, work can begin on final preparation for the new windows. Installation will start probably in the spring and, if all goes well, just over 1,000 new windows should be installed by the end of this year.

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...lain/23934179/

**Dexlin** · February-25-15, 06:46 AM

I fail to see how it matters if this is finished by the end of the year or by the end of the year...in five years. This thing has been open to the elements and annual freeze-and-thaw cycles for how many years, now? That damage has already been done. What are windows without concurrently doing this and rebuilding the HVAC infrastructure, plumbing and roof?

**Dbest** · February-25-15, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by Dexlin

I fail to see how it matters if this is finished by the end of the year or by the end of the year...in five years. This thing has been open to the elements and annual freeze-and-thaw cycles for how many years, now? That damage has already been done. What are windows without concurrently doing this and rebuilding the HVAC infrastructure, plumbing and roof?

Water is nothing new, the book caddy had like 8 foot of water in the basement for years, and then it got pumped out... Supposedly they have been pumping out water from MCS, as well as Asbestos removal. They have the front entrance exterior looking better than it has in a long time. I'm going to continue to tell myself this announcement regarding MCS coincides with the economic revival of that area. That maybe its real...