Now that we are certain Ford has purchased the historic building in Corktown, I thought it would be best to have a new thread rather than continue the once-speculative thread.
Here are Ford's plans, from a recent article in "The Detroit News":
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2018/06/17/how-ford-plans-resurrect-train-station/702723002/
I have stolen this "tl;dr" version from Reddit user bernieboy, as he created an excellent summary. He also updated his post with relevant info from "The Detroit Free Press":
Here are Ford's plans, from a recent article in "The Detroit News":
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2018/06/17/how-ford-plans-resurrect-train-station/702723002/
I have stolen this "tl;dr" version from Reddit user bernieboy, as he created an excellent summary. He also updated his post with relevant info from "The Detroit Free Press":
Edit: from the Free Press article
- 5000 employees would move into the Corktown campus; with 2500 from Ford, and 2500 partner employees from Lyft, Argo AI, and several other tech firms, entrepreneurs, and suppliers.
- Ford expects to fund roughly 1/3 of the renovation through tax incentives.
- Funding for the Corktown campus is being redirected from some of the $1B set aside for the Dearborn campus overhaul, but many plans will continue on that front as well.
- Plans for the station lobby include a market space, coffee shops, restaurants, retail, and public gathering spaces - similar to reused stations in other cities. A hotel and residential space is still being considered.
- Corktown and SW Detroit residents will provide some level of input on the public areas of the station.
- Ford is talking to Bedrock, The Platform, and other developers about mixed-use projects throughout the surrounding neighborhoods.
- 300,000 square feet of the depot concourse and other property development would be open to the public, with another 900,000 being Ford and partner office space.
- The lots purchased along I-75 will become a public parking deck (called it)
- Renovations would be fully complete in four years (2022).
- Ford might lease out space to other firms, and has already been contacted by "a number of" startups and entrepreneurs.
- San Francisco's ferry terminal, which serves a practical function as well as a recreational one, was Bill Ford's inspiration for the station.
- Journalists from all over the world are expected at Tuesday's event.
- By the time the station opens, Ford plans public autonomous shuttles along the Michigan Ave corridor.
- Ford does plan some type of signage on the building, but hasn't decided on a position or style. They want it to be "tasteful".
- Ford will host a community open house on Friday, June 22-Sunday, June 24, for a rare look inside Michigan Central Station before renovations.