I have many fond memories of traveling by train from Detroit in the late 40s and 50s.
I have many fond memories of traveling by train from Detroit in the late 40s and 50s.
I'd encourage you to scroll down through the thread list and find one of the many threads dealing with this topic to share your memories.
I, for one, would love to hear your memories. If you go to: www.buildingsofdetroit.com/places/mcs and scroll to the bottom, you can "Add new comment" and share your memories with everyone! I'd love to read them! Heck, depending how good they are, I might even want to include them in my upcoming book.
mclran41,
Welcome to the forum!
Here's an old photo that was taken out front of the MCS that might help jog loose some more memories.
Wow. There was a White Castle over there next to the Hotel Roosevelt and MCS? Crazy!mclran41,
Welcome to the forum!
Here's an old photo that was taken out front of the MCS that might help jog loose some more memories.
The building behind [[above) the "12ΒΆ White Castle" was owned by Briggs Mfg. Co. and if you look closely, you can see their name on the sign just below the building roof line.Wow. There was a White Castle over there next to the Hotel Roosevelt and MCS? Crazy!
Note the printing on the bag being held by the woman in the center of the group: "PULLMAN - Travel and Sleep in Safety and Comfort"
I do remember eating at the White Castle when working for the NYC one summer.mclran41,
Welcome to the forum!
Here's an old photo that was taken out front of the MCS that might help jog loose some more memories.
I rode a train almost weekly for three years '45-'48 Sun nights to Ann Arbor. Beautiful building and train service.
Hope I didn't scar you off, mcIran41. Please share your stories here.
I didn't realize how long it's been since we had a "non-political" historic thread on the Depot/Station. I had to go all the way back to the old forums [[which can not be added to). Here's one: http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1226275185
Here are a couple of the more recent "politically" oriented threads we've had recently on the current state of the Depot/Station, if you're interested:
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...=train+station
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...=train+station
Again, my apologies. Welcome to the forum!
I love this story/video/picture set from the Detroit News! Every time I've spoken to someone who's been to the station when it was operating the first thing they say is "I just remember the ceiling's were so high and it was so beautiful!"
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...=2008804040415
Is there anything on the Fort Street Station? I used to ride the C&O Sportsman to and from college back in the 1950s. It used Fort Street.Hope I didn't scar you off, mcIran41. Please share your stories here.
I didn't realize how long it's been since we had a "non-political" historic thread on the Depot/Station. I had to go all the way back to the old forums [[which can not be added to). Here's one: http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1226275185
Here are a couple of the more recent "politically" oriented threads we've had recently on the current state of the Depot/Station, if you're interested:
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...=train+station
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...=train+station
Again, my apologies. Welcome to the forum!
I was unaware that the fixtures came from the MCS. Next time I'm at the Gandydancer, I'll check it out.
yup, the gentleman [[whose name escapes me) who opened that restaurant and the others in that chain purchased them at auction in 1990 I believe, shortly before he disappeared on a fishing boat in a tropical storm, never to be seen again!
That photo is priceless, Mikeg!
Oh my.... How times have changed...
Considering the time that has passed the Roosevelt Hotel really looks like there hasn't changed that much on the exterior, apart from peeling paint and the missing neon on top of the building. The interior however must be a royal mess. Apart from the warehouse, these are the only structures still standing near the MCS, which makes that old picture quite amazing seeing that these buildings are the only points of reference to find the location of where the picture was taken. If those buildings weren't there anymore, the picture could have been taken anywhere. Clairvoyance of the photographer??
This must be very close to where the photographer was standing when he made that picture of those happy travellers only 50 years ago....
And if the photographer swung around 180 degrees he would have pictured this, albeit in a looking in a better shape than this....
Last edited by Whitehouse; February-21-10 at 10:11 AM.
Clearly, demolition has made that area a much more attractive place for development than it would have otherwise been. Just look at all of the booming businesses!Oh my.... How times have changed...
Considering the time that has passed the Roosevelt Hotel really looks like there hasn't changed that much on the exterior, apart from peeling paint and the missing neon on top of the building. The interior however must be a royal mess. Apart from the warehouse, these are the only structures still standing near the MCS, which makes that old picture quite amazing seeing that these buildings are the only points of reference to find the location of where the picture was taken. If those buildings weren't there anymore, the picture could have been taken anywhere. Clairvoyance of the photographer??
This must be very close to where the photographer was standing when he made that picture of those happy travellers only 50 years ago....
And if the photographer swung around 180 degrees he would have pictured this, albeit in a looking in a better shape than this....
Yes, I'm so happy we no longer have all of those durned buildings cluttering up our cityscape. Soon, a whole city of pocket parks! Ahhh, the greening of Detroit.
There is an interesting post about the building in a Baltimore developement thread: [[post 6127)
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...69512&page=307
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i was taking a look at today's banner and it's a building i'm very familiar with. it's a picture of the michigan central train station in detroit. it has 500,000 square feet and is 18 stories tall.
it ceased operations in 1988 and the detroit city council wants to tear it down. my question to tearing it down is "why???" i don't think detroit truly see the jewel that they have in this building.
i say all this to say that baltimore would do wonders with a building like this. i would love to see it renovated and put on the gateway site [[where slots are supposed to go). the "look" of this building has slots parlor with a hotel written all over it. buildings like these are really hard to come by nowadays. i look at what arcwheeler did with the b&o railroad building and it's beautiful!
couldn't we give the city of detroit a couple million dollars and have this building airlifted here?
No, I think people DO see that it's a jewel of a building, but if they can't save a building that is much smaller/more feasible, with a much better location in the city's financial district that is in FAR better shape than MCS [[sorry, people, the Lafayette Building's basement was NOT flooded, contrary to what the city says), not to mention MCS isn't owned by the city like the Lafayette ...
I think EVERYBODY in this city knows that the MCS is the crown jewel of ruins in not only Michigan, but possibly the entire country.
Someone tell me this......First, what would be a conservative bid to tear down MCS keeping in mind the building is structurally sound by many expert accounts? Hudson's cost about $7 million for asbestos removal and the demolition. Secondly, how much would it cost to say clean the facade, secure the building, and put windows and lighting on it?
Now I'm not sure but it seems that demolishing the building would cost more than the second option, plus we get to keep the building until it finds a purpose. Doesn't the city of Detroit have better things to spend that money on than demolishing a building? [[I know the plan is to bill Matty after the demolition but good luck with that) I don't understand the city's insisting upon demolishing it. There are a thousand buildings that are dilapidated and falling down all over the city that could be demolished with the money instead of one.
The meeting I was at last month between city leaders, Maroun's people, my group, and another prominent Detroit group [[who's name escapes me at the moment) was very positive and the city leaders flat out told the room that they're not interested in tearing the building down because 1) they have more pressing concerns 2) the fact that CenTra/DIBC/ABC [[whatever) is actively searching for tenants/uses.I think EVERYBODY in this city knows that the MCS is the crown jewel of ruins in not only Michigan, but possibly the entire country.
Someone tell me this......First, what would be a conservative bid to tear down MCS keeping in mind the building is structurally sound by many expert accounts? Hudson's cost about $7 million for asbestos removal and the demolition. Secondly, how much would it cost to say clean the facade, secure the building, and put windows and lighting on it?
Now I'm not sure but it seems that demolishing the building would cost more than the second option, plus we get to keep the building until it finds a purpose. Doesn't the city of Detroit have better things to spend that money on than demolishing a building? [[I know the plan is to bill Matty after the demolition but good luck with that) I don't understand the city's insisting upon demolishing it. There are a thousand buildings that are dilapidated and falling down all over the city that could be demolished with the money instead of one.
At another meeting I had with an EPA official in regards to the foul up last summer he told me flat out it would be more cost effective to keep the building than to tear it down, the costs would be very similar due to the fact that the structure is overbuilt by a factor of 10 and the amount of cleanup required for the job, or at least if the job was done correctly. He told me it's cheaper to cover up/paint over/board over asbestos than it is to have it disposed of.
Apparently no one has seen this weekends New York Times article about the MCS.
With the regretted loss of New York's Pennsylvania Station in 1963, and the near loss of New York Grand Central Station in the 1980's, New York Times folks appear to be rooting for a miracle for the MCS...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/06/us....html?emc=eta1
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