History
The ruins of Michigan Central Station
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Michigan Central Station (Michigan Central Depot (MCS)) in Detroit, state of Michigan (United States)
Detroit, about 3.7 km southwest of the Ambassador Bridge, which is the main link to the neighboring country of Canada, is the fourth largest in his era railway station in the world.
The Michigan Central Station (MCS).
The original idea for this building was the idea of an underwater tunnel (Michigan Central Railway Tunnel), the., Windsor lead in southwest Detroit and whose input should be completed with a larger train engine In addition, they wanted to integrate the hitherto rather poorly developed area, which was named among others as a slam in the rest of the city, expand and upgrade.
When in 1906 the plans were completed for this building, began in 1908 to buy up the appropriate 5 hectares plot of land by expropriated about 300 owners of their homes and on 16 May in 1910, the foundation stone for the next object could be placed.
The design for the next station building work, the architects `` Warren & Wetmore`` and `` Reed & Stem`` (Been for buildings of stations, including known as Grand Central Station in New York) from what eventually led to discussions were the first-mentioned architects rather known to produce drafts hotel, which is reflected in the façade of the 18-story office tower reflects and at the time marked multiple reviews provoked.
But all these conflicts, in spite of the MCS should finally be officially opened on 4 January 1914 but which never took place, made a fire to naught this project on 26 December 1913 that the commissioning of the station but could not completely prevent and even during unloading, the first train to Chicago left the building.
What followed was a slight upturn by people used the station regularly, but only part of the white man brought transport passengers directly to the east entrance of the MCS, where there was a road under other terminal. The actual main entrance with large arched windows to the north was hardly used and thus missed his representative task. For this reason, out, the city began in 1915 immediately before the building with the creation of a park, which is known as the `` Roosevelt Park`` today.
Moreover, to ensure a Smooth course of many travelers, we put much emphasis on the surrounding network connection, which was held with streetcars and interurban bus services run continuously.
But despite all this trouble and respects, forgot to progress. Over time, fewer and fewer people came in buses or trams, but with cars for parking as soon were too low and the overall operation of the MCS gradually was in danger of silence.
Began in 1920 Henry Ford surrounding plots of the Michigan Central Station buying. His idea was to build a large business center through which this territory would make better use again and a new upswing should come, but by the next great depression remained from investors and any unused ambitions.
What followed was the descent: Train - / u. Bus routes connecting the surrounding network in 1938 completely stopped after the car also became increasingly popular and were less and less dependent on public vehicles.
1945 finally saw the MCS a record low, making the building fully operational forced to a halt and the Arsenal began to isolate themselves again by the local population.
It was not until the second world war prevailed, the MCS began to gain new importance. The military used the building as soon hub for its operations. From here, soldiers were - and machine transport organized and carried out, whereby the number of travelers yet again returned during the war and in the 1940s even reached its peak. More than 4000 people a day now posted the waiting area. 3000 people worked seven days a week in the integrated office buildings and more than 200 daily trains left the station area.
Only when the war came to an end and took to the further expansion of highways and the domestic emerging and growing air traffic, the number of visitors changed again, and this time dramatically.
In the 1950s, the station reported then his final and lowest attendance in its history, with the result that have been reduced several areas of the building, such as the local restaurant. The erstwhile elaborate vaulted ceiling, which has always been in need restoration over the years, has been suspended with a coffered ceiling and thus closed to the public. The large waiting area, once many travelers a safe roof was offered, now used to only as bearing to lose more and more of its actual meaning over the years.
Many a time has changed owners of this property, with different sums were brought to light. 1956 was intentional, the Arsenal for 5 million US dollars, representing one third of the construction costs to sell, but any negotiations failed. In 1967 came finally to a partial Finally, the train station, including the main entrance of local shops and restaurants.
As Amtrak began operating in 1971, the number of passengers began to rise again so that the main entrance and waiting room have been re-opened in 1975 and 1978, repair work began.
1984 MCS was sold to a shipping company and on January 6th 1988 left the last Amtrak train to Chicago on the station site.
In the following years the property again changed its owners, the resale value even once stood at just $ 80,000.
Ideas to continue to use the arsenal, there was a casino, convention center, customs trade center, hotel, office park, train station for speed trains, police headquarters ect. However, for the realization and the resulting alterations, lacked the financial resources, relationship White failed projects to be legal projects.
Since 1996 the MCS is now in possession of the controlled terminals Inc.
For demolition of the building, the City Council then decides on 7 April 2009, with residents made to naught this venture and submitting the relevant actions, which in the same year came the creation of the `` Michigan Central Station Preservation Society`` to conditions and This unification has since committed to the preservation of the station.
Today the building is only used for filming, such as Transformers, The Island, Four Brothers, or 8 Mile use and is also an important port of call for foreign reporters. It borders on a small miracle that is the reputation of the Michigan Central Station still not completely smothered in spite of its Turbulent history. For a small ray of hope begins just beginning to unfold: The nearby Ambassador Bridge, which is still used as the main link between Canada and Detroit, many see a new opportunity to bring the Arsenal back to life. The built years ago highway that runs through the already upgraded Corktown neighborhoods Mexican Town and the city center, leaves the Michigan Central Station in new light and wakes up again over the interest of the traveling people.
However, despite this positive development and the new repairs that take place on the MCS since the spring of 2011, is the present position is still unclear what exactly happened to the train station.
This is the only safe and important, which is the Michigan Central Station registered since 1975 in the National Register of Historic Places and are still maintained for a very long time hopefully.
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