Extensive BBC Website Feature On Michigan Central And Detroit

**renf** · July-11-19, 08:22 AM

BBC ran or published the attached story - a rather favorable one about redevelopment efforts in the city that was, for a quarter century, part of the British empire. Does the renovation of the Michigan Central station have important symbolic meaning?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/Knx...entral_detroit

**Lowell** · July-11-19, 08:24 AM

BBC’s Jonathan Marcus has authored a major website feature on the Ford Michigan Central Depot that weaves the station’s history, decline, restoration, neighborhood implications and impending future with an extensive collection of historic and current images.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/Knx...entral_detroit

It is chock full of interviews with Bill Ford, Councilperson Castenada-Lopez, local historians and neighborhood activists.

DetroitYES participation includes quotes from Ray1936, yours truly, and the feature’s contemporary photos were shot by Southen.

[Oops renf beat me to posting this—threads merged.]

**Honky Tonk** · July-11-19, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by renf

BBC ran or published the attached story - a rather favorable one about redevelopment efforts in the city that was, for a quarter century, part of the British empire. Does the renovation of the Michigan Central station have important symbolic meaning?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/Knx...entral_detroit

Only to the press.

**Zacha341** · July-11-19, 08:38 AM

A friend just sent me the link this morning. Drats I could have been the first to post it ...

... Just joking: Thank you Renf!!

AWESOME ARTICLE and PHOTOS!

**Lowell** · July-11-19, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by renf

Does the renovation of the Michigan Central station have important symbolic meaning?

It has important symbolic and actual meaning. It links the past with the future unlike anything around the central theme of Detroit's fame and essence--mobility.

Being centered in the once derelict train station this move punctuates the progression of machine-powered mobility that began with the steam-powered railroad, advanced to the gasoline internal-combustion-powered automobile and is now flowering into electric-power mobility solutions.

For Detroit and its once devastated core, it marks last of the grand abandoned skyscrapers to be slated for renovation. Now every major structure in the Downtown Detroit area is being, has been, or has plans to be restored.

The psychological impact of this site with the expected 5000 jobs, not counting the spin off jobs, has to be immense for all of us in Detroit. I know it is for me.

**Ray1936** · July-11-19, 11:27 AM

Excellent article, and objective IMHO. I was honored to have contributed just a tad to it. Good photos, also.

**Mikie** · July-11-19, 01:28 PM

I noticed the article whenI was on the BBC news site, great seeing you Lowell and the pics from RyanSouthern!!

**DetroitGuy423** · July-11-19, 01:46 PM

Great article! I'm beyond excited to see MCS finally restored

**cman710** · July-11-19, 02:30 PM

Thanks for sharing. It was an excellent article.

**bartocktoo** · July-11-19, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by cman710

Thanks for sharing. It was an excellent article.

Is it possible that it is Ray1936 who was interviewed and quoted in that article?

**Meddle** · July-11-19, 04:51 PM

The fruits of ? :

https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...-days-employee

**Ray1936** · July-11-19, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by bartocktoo

Is it possible that it is Ray1936 who was interviewed and quoted in that article?

Yes, it was I. Lowell had passed along my name to the author as he knew I had spent time in the old train barn in the early sixties. [[Building even had a police call box in the lobby!)

**SammyS** · July-11-19, 09:25 PM

Felt a sense of pride reading that. Good work. Just surprised there was no mention of Dan Gilbert

**Trumpeteer** · July-11-19, 09:37 PM

A GREAT story and finally to see Lowell!

**ParisianLesion** · July-12-19, 03:01 PM

Wow, what a powerful article indeed! I loved the then-and-now effects on the photos when scrolling - I've never seen that before!

**sarge** · July-12-19, 08:28 PM

Good job, guys!

**southen** · July-13-19, 07:55 AM

Thanks everyone! I actually put together a blog post on my website featuring a lot more of the photos taken on the shoot. Ford definitely has their work cut out for them but it is going to be spectacular when they finish.

https://www.ryansouthen.com/blog/201...hs-for-the-bbc

**renf** · July-13-19, 08:43 AM

Thank you for posting the link to your website with these interesting pictures.

**Gistok** · July-14-19, 03:45 AM

I want to add my congrats to Lowell, Ryan, and and Ray1936... we are rebuilding Detroit one block at a time... and thanks for all your contributions!

**ABetterDetroit** · July-14-19, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by southen

Thanks everyone! I actually put together a blog post on my website featuring a lot more of the photos taken on the shoot. Ford definitely has their work cut out for them but it is going to be spectacular when they finish.

https://www.ryansouthen.com/blog/201...hs-for-the-bbc

Amazing photographs. Thank you for sharing your art with us southen.