[Lee Stewart]

Once considered Detroit's Ellis Island, the three-story Michigan Central Station was the tallest railroad station in the world when it opened in 1913. The train terminal had 54-foot ceilings, 68-foot Corinthian columns, and grand chandeliers. But by the 1950s, the number of passengers traveling by train diminished across the country.



Despite Amtrak's attempt to revitalize the station in 1971, the last train left the transportation hub in 1988, and the station was quickly abandoned. For decades the station deteriorated and plans for upgrades (or demolition) faltered. But Ford bought the property, and a makeover is underway to restore the dilapidated structure to its glory days as part of the automaker's planned $740 million mobility-focused campus.