Possible New Life for Michigan Central Station? Ford Motor Co. a Buyer? YES!

[Zads07]

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...tion/33088971/

News reporting the Book Depository building part of the deal, but Ford would be a tenant at the Station, not buying it.

[mikeg19]

This, right here...

One source familiar with Ford's pursuit of the train station said the move is aimed at building a workplace in an urban setting that can attract younger workers to the automaker.


To me, that says Hackett and Co deemed the several billion makeover at PDC in Dearborn as too costly to do the same thing they can do with MCS at less cost: attract young talent to a new cool campus like Google or Amazon, except this way they are downtown. Kudos to them, I'd be impressed if this is true and amazed if this actually happens.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

This is thrilling, and I hope it pans out. I would imagine that Ford would be keeping a very large presence in Dearborn, and would locate some divisions to Corktown. There isn't currently enough space for them to pick up and move the whole shebang, but I can see them making the Detroit location akin to what RenCen is to GM: administrative staff. Dearborn would be for R&D, i.e. what Warren Tech Center is to GM. Anyway, if they do indeed move a significant presence there, the whole stretch between Corktown and downtown will be boom and fill in [[and grow taller and spread out) like what we see happening along Woodward from downtown to Midtown. And with the extension of the Riverwalk [[hopefully) to the Ambassador Bridge... man is that area gonna boom! I looked at and almost bought a small house in the area 6 years ago. *REGRETTING NOT BUYING IT*

[313rd]

I sure hope that there is some truth to this and Ford will be purchasing the building. Usually when there is news like this, Moroun always has a secondary news story break, i.e new bridge span, new lawsuit with GHIB, etc.

Devil's Advocate; Southen posts that [[2)Two of his soccer friends heard that a deal with Ford purchasing MCS was going to happen. A few hours later Crain's reports that two sources hear about a deal. I have the highest respect for Crains, but hopefully there sources are confirmed and close to the deal.

Also, Kirk Pinho on twitter reported that it would cost $250 million to renovate just the first five floors?

[Lowell]

“Ford Motor Co. is in discussions to purchase the dilapidated Michigan Central Station in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood just outside of downtown, Crain's has learned from multiple sources familiar with the negotiations.

The exact status of negotiations is unknown. But two sources familiar with the matter said a deal for the Dearborn-based automaker to redevelop the 500,000-square-foot former train station off of Michigan Avenue owned for decades by the Moroun family could come as soon as next month.”

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...gnews-20180319

Ongoing Michigan Central thread here >>

[Pat001]

Looks like Moroun finally found a sucker dumb enough to buy his train station.

[hybridy]

- dan G wants autoworld part deux in the D
- chrysler closes museum @ HQ
- GM cancels Ren Cen addition
- ford become tenant @ MCS

is anyone watching the pieces come together? regional cooperation?

[southen]

- dan G wants autoworld part deux in the D
- chrysler closes museum @ HQ
- GM cancels Ren Cen addition
- ford become tenant @ MCS

is anyone watching the pieces come together? regional cooperation?

Although I don't know if any of those things are directly related to DG's desire for an auto museum it certainly helps its' cause. I am still waiting to hear what is gonna happen at the State Savings Bank. Every time I walk by it looks a bit cleaner and better and it looks like the perfect venue for a museum of some type.

[K-slice]

Streetcar extension down Michigan Ave? F Line anyone?

[emu steve]

Streetcar extension down Michigan Ave? F Line anyone?

Why not? I've been suggesting it since the day the QLine started running.

As someone who travels down Michigan Ave. [[sometimes*) to get downtown, I have an affinity for it [[Michigan Ave.) and hopes all of the area from MCS and downtown can develop.

* As a young man I'd take the bus along Michigan Ave. to Tigers' Stadium and later when I had a car would drive down Michigan Ave. to Cobo to watch the Pistons.

[southen]

Why not? I've been suggesting it since the day the QLine started running.

As someone who travels down Michigan Ave. [[sometimes*) to get downtown, I have an affinity for it [[Michigan Ave.) and hopes all of the area from MCS and downtown can develop.

* As a young man I'd take the bus along Michigan Ave. to Tigers' Stadium and later when I had a car would drive down Michigan Ave. to Cobo to watch the Pistons.

As long as the train is center running I am all for it. I think the Q-Line has proven how light rail should be done in this city and it definitely isnt curbside.

They could also design the stations to accommodate trains as well as BRT that could run to Dearborn and Ford's other locations.

[hybridy]

Although I don't know if any of those things are directly related to DG's desire for an auto museum it certainly helps its' cause. I am still waiting to hear what is gonna happen at the State Savings Bank. Every time I walk by it looks a bit cleaner and better and it looks like the perfect venue for a museum of some type.

To me it’s more of an event venue rather than museum space simply due to the scale. It would seem to me that a destination auto museum just needs a larger building and larger site...idk

[southen]

To me it’s more of an event venue rather than museum space simply due to the scale. It would seem to me that a destination auto museum just needs a larger building and larger site...idk

You may be right, I just know that the building is deceptively massive with two floors above and one below ground.

[emu steve]

What I think would be huge, not simply have the train station re-developed, but if it would create a 'land rush' for build-able land in the area.

If Ford is all in, then the others will follow and that area could get hot.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

What I think would be huge, not simply have the train station re-developed, but if it would create a 'land rush' for build-able land in the area.

If Ford is all in, then the others will follow and that area could get hot.

Yep. Just like Dan Gilbert's biggest gift to the city: proving you can do business here. Good to live, work, build, grow. This adds that feel to another part of the city.

[emu steve]

Yep. Just like Dan Gilbert's biggest gift to the city: proving you can do business here. Good to live, work, build, grow. This adds that feel to another part of the city.

Absolutely. There is a need for more neighborhoods to get hot and this could really cause Corktown to get super hot.

I wonder if there will be a 'land rush' for land west of Tigers Stadium?

One has the Ford stuff by Rosa Parks, MCS, Roosevelt Park, etc. I would think the area is close to 'critical mass' to take off.

If this area gets hot it is perfect for the FLine as another poster indicated. And the FLine might encourage the JLine [[E. Jefferson).

[SammyS]

Excellent news. Good to see someone can negotiate with the Morouns

[bust]

First thoughts:

Yay, Ford!
From the outside, and not knowing the details, this seems to make sense.

How will they connect the campuses?
Hopefully not private buses or driverless cars, for employees only.
Like others have said: Hopefully public rapid transit, on tracks not wheels, from downtown to AA, and designed to expand.

[casscorridor]

First thoughts:

Yay, Ford!
From the outside, and not knowing the details, this seems to make sense.

How will they connect the campuses?
Hopefully not private buses or driverless cars, for employees only.
Like others have said: Hopefully public rapid transit, on tracks not wheels, from downtown to AA, and designed to expand.

I agree. But all the plans for rail to Ann Arbor have been pathetic at best. A whopping 6 scheduled departures per day. Conventional locomotive commuter rail should be discarded in favor of electrified high-frequency metro-style commuter rail with direct connections between Downtown, Corktown, East Dearborn, West Dearborn, Metro Airport, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. The system could then be expanded in the future.

[dtowncitylover]

I agree. But all the plans for rail to Ann Arbor have been pathetic at best. A whopping 6 scheduled departures per day. Conventional locomotive commuter rail should be discarded in favor of electrified high-frequency metro-style commuter rail with direct connections between Downtown, Corktown, East Dearborn, West Dearborn, Metro Airport, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. The system could then be expanded in the future.

You're not wrong, but this is Detroit and the RTA 2016 plan and Evans' plan this year are the most vision we've seen out of any leader/organization.

We also have to deal with private rail companies that own much of the tracks in metro D so electrifying their lines might be an uphill battle.

[Don K]

I agree. But all the plans for rail to Ann Arbor have been pathetic at best. A whopping 6 scheduled departures per day. Conventional locomotive commuter rail should be discarded in favor of electrified high-frequency metro-style commuter rail with direct connections between Downtown, Corktown, East Dearborn, West Dearborn, Metro Airport, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. The system could then be expanded in the future.

Hey c'mon, diesel-electric works just fine for Chicago's Metra [[other than the ex-Illinois Central lines) and for Boston's MBTA. I get that electrified is super-cool, but baby steps, please, baby steps. The heavy fixed-investment of hanging catenary pre-supposes large ridership. Let's do proof-of-concept first, then worry about electrifying.

That said, I'm all in for rail service from downtown to A2. I doubt this line could easily be routed to DTW, because it runs close to Michigan Ave, whereas the closest rail line to DTW is the Norfolk Southern [[ex-Wabash) line.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

One note: I think a new light rail line down Michigan Ave should NEVER be called the F Line. Imagine, if the train is late, it will become the FU Line. I know when I lived in NY the F Line train, was called that with some regularity [[and as I understand it, maintenance issues have piled up in NYC transit operations).

[ABetterDetroit]

Book Tower and Stott with contractors all over them.

Hudsons site with ground broken for a new tallest in the city.

Rumors swirling about MCS and Lee Plaza with legitimate players involved.

There really isn’t words.

What a difference in a few short years is a massive understatement.

[Hypestyles]

So Ford, buy this building, asap. Buy the surrounding campus. Fix up the train tracks, too. Have some light rail installed.

[Hermod]

So Ford, buy this building, asap. Buy the surrounding campus. Fix up the train tracks, too. Have some light rail installed.

In the finest tradition of DetroitYes, always willing to lavishly spend other people's money [[OPM).