Ford Reveals $900M Renovated Michigan Central Station Project: Diana Ross, Jack White To Headline Opening Concert At Detroit Landmark

Ford Motor Co‘s F long-standing project to restore Detroit’s Michigan Central Station is finally coming to an end; the Big Three automaker is set to unveil the historic, 18-story train station to the public in an event on Thursday. Ford bought the property in 2018.

Station History: The station has a long and storied history. Central Station went into service in 1913, serving thousands of passengers daily while doubling as “Detroit’s Ellis Island.”

The relative decline of rail travel was not kind to Central Station. The waiting room at the station closed in 1967. Amtrak bought the station in 1971 and it was later sold to controversial local businessman Manuel “Matty” Moroun in the 1990s. The station closed in 1988 and sat abandoned for decades, a symbol of the city’s decline.

Ford Renovation: After Ford bought the station in 2018, it spent over $900 million in renovations. More than 1.7 million hours were spent restoring the historic facade — defaced with graffiti — to its prior glory. Several aspects of the building were retrofitted for modern use.

The facility is part of a larger Michigan Central campus that includes the Newlab at Michigan Central Building, The Factory and Bagley Mobility Hub.

Opening Event: The building will be unveiled to the public in the "Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central” event scheduled for Thursday. Detroit natives Diana Ross, Big Sean, Jack White and others will perform at the Eminem– and Paul Rosenberg-produced event.

The concert will be broadcast live on Comcast Corp CMCSA subsidiary Peacock with a subsequent special on NBC. Free tickets to the event were scooped up in minutes. Tours to the general public will also be available throughout June and the rest of the summer.

Future Operations: According to a press release, Ford plans to employ its Ford Model e and Ford Integrated Services teams at the site. Plans are for 1,000 workers to be employed at the site by the end of 2024, with a goal of 2,500 by 2028. The Newlab next door opened in 2023, is a tech incubator with more than 600 employees.

The building plans to attract other tenants and serve as a landmark for Detroit.

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Photos: Before and after photo of interior of Michigan Central Station, courtesy Ford Motor Co.