Spartans Lead the Way in Restoring Detroit's Michigan Central Station

Michigan State University alumni working for the Christman/Brinker joint venture were heavily involved in the restoration of Detroit’s Michigan Central Station. The historic rail depot was once the defining feature of Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood but closed in 1988 and became a symbol of the city’s decline. Ford Motor Company purchased the station in 2018 and reenvisioned the area as the Michigan Central Innovation District—a mobility tech and cultural hub. The station’s grand re-opening in June 2024 marked a new chapter in the city’s proud history.

See photos of the important work done by fellow Spartans below and read the story here.

EXTERIOR

GENERAL WAITING ROOM

ARCADE & TICKET OFFICE

Before, during and after renovation work of the arcade heading toward the ticket office.

CONCOURSE

DETAIL AND DESIGN

"There's still a lot of work to be done. There's been incredible progress in the last 10 years, but there's still such a long way to go and there's still a lot of passion in developers to get us there. I think the next 10 years are going to be as exciting as the past 10, and we're going to continue to see it push out from the downtown area into other pockets of the city and we're excited to be along for the ride."

Joe Luther (’08, Construction Management), Christman Senior Vice President and General Manager for SE Michigan.

Ryan Loren

An Inside look at Michigan Central Station

EXTERIOR

GENERAL WAITING ROOM

ARCADE & TICKET OFFICE

CONCOURSE

DETAIL AND DESIGN