The Michigan Central Station Preservation Society (MCSPS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration of the Michigan Central Station and investment into the surrounding Corktown community for the purpose of promoting development and economic prosperity in and around the proximity of the Michigan Central Station. Although our views do not necessarily reflect those of the owner, the MCSPS would like to see the Michigan Central Station become a high-speed train station as well as a multiuse facility and community asset. Our fundamental goal is to see the lower barriers to transportation to cities such as Chicago, Toronto, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, and so on create an attractive environment for business to come to Detroit and as a result improve the economic conditions of not only the city of Detroit, but the state of Michigan in general. If there is a coinciding improvement in human capital as a result of a focus on education, promotion of cutting edge research, and attracting high skilled labor then Detroit can finally make an economic transition from a manufacturing based economy to a knowledge driven economy similar to that of Pittsburgh with the collapse of the steel industry beginning in the 1970’s. Feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions, comments, or like to me more involved at JcMohyi@Gmail.com.
Updates
Operation MCS Christmas Extravaganza
I apologize for failing to post continuous project updates since our last volunteer effort, but I assure you there has been a tremendous amount of progress in regards to the MCS rehabilitation effort. As of September 29th 2009 I have managed to legally establish the Michigan Central Station Preservation Society as a Non-Profit with the state of Michigan. With that being said I would like to thank our friends at the (Buffalo) Central Terminal Restoration Corp. for their help as well as introduce the two new members of our board of directors Ashton Parsons and Kristopher Kovach. Their continued help with the rehabilitation effort has proven to be a major asset in this whole endeavor and I am happy to have them on board with the project. Additionally, I would like to thank Julia Goldwater & Brad Lorenzon for setting up the Facebook group which has over 13,000 members and our friends at the Ambassador Bridge Company for there continued support.
Below is a list of goals that the Michigan Central Station Preservation Society is working toward. As a disclaimer I want to emphasize that the goals and opinions of the Michigan Central Station Preservation Society do not necessarily reflect those of the owner. For clarification of the owners intentions, if you are a member of the press, please contact the Ambassador Bridge Companies public relations division.
1) Fencing: As most of you probably already know, the existing razor wire fencing has its weaknesses when it comes to protecting the MCS perimeter. Additionally, it takes away aesthetically from the building. After some research and interviews with contractors we believe that replacing the existing fence with Ameristar’s Montage II Invincible fence would be ideal for the station. Securing the perimeter will then allow us to move onto the projects below.
Projected Cost: $120,000 (Please consider making a contribution via the link to the left of the page)
2) Lighting/power: At night the MCS is comparable to a behemoth black hole over the city of Detroit. Some accent lighting would be a great way to both increase security around the building and significantly enhance the presents of the MCS at night.
The company we are considering at the moment is the same one that did the accent lighting for the Detroit Institute of Arts. Bronze Light has a great selection of LED accent lights which would be perfect for the job.
Projected Cost: $15,000
3) Flooding: Over the years water has flooded the two lower basements of the MCS. We are not sure if there is a broken city water pipe or if it is simply the natural buildup over time. Once we can tap into a power source which would allow for permanent pumps to be operated then this issue can addressed. Though it is likely the water may be deemed hazardous requiring the contents to be specially disposed of.
Projected Cost: $2,500
4) Glass Replacement: Eventually we hope to remove the existing broken glass and replace it with an acrylic glass known as Lexan. Lexan is 250 times stronger than regular glass and will ensure the integrity of the stations inner perimeter. We want to begin with the bottom portion of the building and then work our way up. There is also the possibility that we will be able to replace the metal roofing installed in WWII to its original glass design.
Projected Cost: (Unavailable)
5) MCS Tours/Events: Once the new Fence is installed we can seriously explore hosting tours and events at the MCS. This would make is so all you photographers and urban explorers do not have to risk impaling yourselves on the new fence. Make sure to sign-up on the mailing list and to check back periodically for updates.
How Can I Help?
We have made tremendous progress with the MCS and would like to maintain the momentum we have generated. Please consider making a contribution to the Michigan Central Station Preservation Society via the link to the left of the page or by sending a check to our temporary mailbox at:
2649 Cove Lane
West Bloomfield, MI 48323
Project Background
Welcome to a historic event. Thousands of students, business, organizations, politicians, musicians and residents across Michigan have teamed up to preserve an iconic piece of Detroit's history. It all began on April 7th, 2009 when the Detroit City Council voted for an expedited demolition of the Michigan Central Station. The move sparked a massive grass roots campaign to save the building. Shortly after, a Detroit resident filed suit against the city citing the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
As the movement continued to grow, Senator Cameron Brown became inspired and recognized the historic nature of the MCS. That moment of inspiration prompted him and fellow senators to share their concerns with the owner in a Letter and subsequent tour of the station on Friday June 12, 2009.
Shortly after, talks between the station owner and JohnMohyi resulted in a partnership to save the station. Permission was granted to volunteers, organizations, and sponsors, in Detroit and the greater Detroit area, to breath new life into the Michigan Central Station via a strategic grassroots restoration effort beginning on June 30th 2009. For information on how you can help out click on the Volunteer tab.
Michigan Central Station was built in 1913 to replace the previous train station, which had burnt down. MCS, then known as Penn Central Station, has been used in several films, including Transformers (directed by Michael Bay) in October 2006 and The Island (directed by Michael Bay). In September 2002, extensive closeups and fly-by shots were featured in the movie Naqoyqatsi. In the 2004 film Four Brothers, the movie opens with the main character driving his car along the Michigan Central Station. The MCS was placed on the National Historic Registry in 1975 and the station was retired in January of 1988. Our mission now is to breath new life into the station and resurrect a landmark in the city of Detroit.