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MCS Construction

Black Tech Saturdays

Black Tech Saturdays is Building Community at Michigan Central

Community

Meeting three times a month, Black Tech Saturdays has welcomed nearly 3,000 attendees since its inception.

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Electreon

MDOT, City of Detroit and Electreon unveil nation’s first public EV-charging roadway at Michigan Central

Press Releases

Electreon receiver technology charges EVs while they drive across the chargers imbedded in the pavement.

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Pearl-Electric

Michigan Central, Newlab partner with DTE Energy, Walker-Miller and others to advance energy equity, adoption of new technology

Press Releases

New initiative will launch projects and programs focused on driving tangible action to help lower energy bills, boost energy-efficiency and more.

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credit Nadir Ali for Michigan Central_drone community demo day 4

Michigan Central, MDOT launch Advanced Aerial Innovation Region in Detroit to accelerate commercial drone development

Press Releases

First-of-its-kind urban airspace infrastructure establishes Michigan as a national leader in the emerging advanced aerial mobility industry.

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new fellowship program

Michigan Central and Newlab launch new fellowship program to support underrepresented communities in Detroit’s tech ecosystem

Press Releases

Backed by Michigan Central’s Equitable Ecosystem Fund, the Founder Fellowship will work to not only help underrepresented founders succeed but work toward advancing diversity and inclusion in tech.

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Helmut Ziewers/HistoricDetroit.org

Applications Now Open for Detroit Residents to Turn Their New Business Ideas into Reality Through Builders + Backers Idea Accelerator Powered by Heartland Forward

Press Releases

Program offering up to $5,000 is through partnership with Michigan Central and Newlab.

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Technician-safety-meeting

Michigan Central skills-training initiative kicks off by helping Detroiters become EV charger techs through ChargerHelp!

Press Releases

Program is a partnership with the State of Michigan and City of Detroit’s Detroit at Work.

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A group of children standby during a Drone operating demonstration.

Michigan Central Hosts First Youth Drone Demo Day

Community

More than 200 Detroit youth received a chance to fly drones and learn about aerial technology at Michigan Central’s first Youth Drone Demo Day.

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Technician with glove on holding connector

Michigan Central partners with MIT Mobility Initiative to tackle key mobility challenges

Press Releases

Detroit campus will serve as test site for advanced mobility research involving electric vehicles, drones.

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Michigan Central Station logo

Alondra Carter-Alvizo Joins Michigan Central

Community

Michigan Central is pleased to introduce Alondra Carter-Alvizo as our associate director of community engagement.

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Darren Riley speaking in public

Michigan Central launches $1.5M fund to help tech-based startups take their business to the next level in Michigan

Press Releases

Up to $200,000 in funding available; JustAir named its first recipient.

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Michigan Central Community Open House Event

Michigan Central Community Open House Event

Past Events

Missed the July Community Open House? Check out the video from the event here!

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Energize Bagley

Detroit Artists Collaborate to Energize Bagley Mobility Hub 

Community

Three selected artists began work last fall, and two finished works have already been unveiled to the public. 

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Michigan Central Station logo

Michigan Central Perspectives: Introducing Cornetta Lane-Smith

Community

Michigan Central is pleased to introduce Cornetta Lane-Smith as the new director of community engagement.

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Community Impact Fund Winners

Michigan Central Impact Fund Winners Put Ideas Into Action

Community

The Michigan Central / Church St. Community Impact Fund has awarded $42,070 in microgrants to five local organizations poised to make an impact on their respective neighborhoods.

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Two Code Next students high-five.

Code Next Detroit Continues to Grow and Opens Career Pathways

Community

Last year founding partner Google opened its first Midwest Code Next Lab at Michigan Central, and the program continues to grow.

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Veggie Express

Michigan Central Mobility Studio to Launch Veggie Express With Local Farms

Community

Michigan Central and Newlab have teamed up to run pilots with multiple start-ups to tackle local challenges like accessibility to essential resources.

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High school students with their instruments

Google’s Code Next Detroit Returns to Michigan Central

In the News, Storytelling

Applications are currently being accepted until August 4, 2023, apply today!

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Sky View of the Detroit Book Depository

Celebrating the launch of Michigan Central and the Opening of Newlab Detroit

Community

The latest progress in Michigan Central’s vision for advancing mobility technologies and shaping programs that address barriers to greater social and economic good

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Book Depository Sunlit

Michigan Central Launches with Newlab Opening in Reimagined Book Depository

Press Releases

Newlab at Michigan Central will support the advancement of high-tech startups in mobility and convergent sectors, helping to cement Detroit’s legacy as the home of innovation.

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The Book Depository Exterior

Michigan Central Announces Newlab as Partner to Activate Mobility Innovation Ecosystem at Detroit’s Reimagined Book Depository Building

Press Releases

Michigan Central’s partnership with Newlab will accelerate development of sustainable and equitable mobility solutions in Detroit – the global center for the future of mobility

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North Corktown Commons Rendering

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan announces inaugural grant recipients supporting communities around Michigan Central

Press Releases

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has approved the inaugural round of Michigan Central/Church Street Community Impact Fund microgrants to support organizations that strengthen the Detroit neighborhoods of Corktown, North Corktown and Hubbard Richard.

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Preview of the Southwest Greenway

Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and Michigan Central Provide Community with Preview of the Southwest Greenway and Bagley Mobility Hub

Past Events

Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and Michigan Central Provide Community with

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MoGo Press Release

MoGo To Bring New Electric Charging Bikeshare Stations to Michigan Central

Press Releases

New stations will continue the effort to electrify MoGo’s entire system using state-of-the-art micromobility technology

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SW Greenway Street nighttime

Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and Michigan Central Provide Community with Preview of the Southwest Greenway and Bagley Mobility Hub

Press Releases

Southwest Greenway is a major milestone in the transformation of the West Riverfront that will connect the riverfront with Michigan Central

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Roosevelt Park

City of Detroit begins $6M remake of Roosevelt Park in front of Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

Joining Mayor Mike Duggan and other city officials were dozens of community members, business owners and also Joshua Sirefman, CEO of Michigan Central, a 30-acre walkable community anchored by The Station in development by Michigan Central Innovation District LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company.

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Bagley Mobility Hub

Detroit Artists To Launch Michigan Central Art Program at Bagley Mobility Hub

Art, Community, Press Releases

Michigan Central District Art Program aims to help establish the district as a global arts and culture destination.

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Ariel view of Corktown and Michigan Central Station during St. Patrick's Day Parade

Michigan Central Creates $500,000 Resource for Neighboring Detroit Businesses

Press Releases

As many as 25 local businesses will be selected for the Advancing Community Businesses program, which kicks off this month in a partnership with the Build Institute and Prosperous Detroit

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Southwest Greenway Rendering

Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and Partners Break Ground on Southwest Greenway

Press Releases

Southwest Greenway is being designed as a beautiful public space connecting the Detroit Riverfront and future Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park with Michigan Central and neighborhoods throughout Southwest Detroit, Mexicantown and Corktown.

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Cross-Functional Teams at Ford Use 3D Printing to Capture Fine Details of Window Decorations, Ceiling Tiles for Michigan Central Station

Storytelling

While architectural restoration isn’t an area of expertise you might expect to find at an automobile company, several teams at Ford are collaborating to deploy their skills to restore some of the finest, most intricate details of Michigan Central Station, which will serve as the anchor of the Michigan Central mobility innovation district when it opens next year.

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Satish Rao, chief product officer of Newlab participating in the panel discussion on the topic of ingredients for impactful innovation at SxSW.

Michigan Central Shares Some of Its Ingredients for Impactful Innovation at SxSW

Past Events

Carolina Pluszczynski, Michigan Central development director, was joined by Satish Rao, chief product officer of Newlab, and Tim Slusser, chief of mobility innovation for the city of Detroit, to discuss the process of designing the mobility innovation district with the technology-minded, solution-oriented attendees of South by Southwest (SxSW) in Austin, Texas.

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The New Michigan Central CEO Josh Sirefman

Introducing Michigan Central’s New CEO – Joshua Sirefman

Press Releases

Michigan Central takes another important step today as it names Joshua Sirefman its new CEO.

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ariel view of Michigan Central Station in winter

Michigan Central Founding Member and Partnership Announcement

Past Events

Three and a half years ago, we shared a bold vision for Michigan Central. We’re not just restoring an iconic building, we’re creating a unique mobility innovation district where the world will come to solve the mobility challenges of the future, together.

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Rendering of Michigan Central Station

Michigan Central: Innovating Together for a Better Tomorrow

Community, Press Releases

Michigan Central invites you to join us for exciting news on how we’re advancing the vision for our mobility innovation district. Join key public and private leaders from the region and varied industries as we share new details on the progress of the development including who will be joining us to help create this future.

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Michigan Central Station as seen from the sky

Michigan Central Advances Plans for Mobility Innovation District; Google Joins Ford as Founding Member; State of Michigan, City of Detroit Make Critical New Commitments

Press Releases

Michigan Central – a mobility-focused innovation district connecting innovators with Fortune 500 companies, government entities and others – announces new commitments with the state of Michigan, the city of Detroit and tech leader Google to continue creating a hub for mobility innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability and community development

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Artistic rendering of the Detroit Electrical Corridor

Electrified Corridor to Serve as a Tool to Help Michigan Central Partners Solve Mobility Challenges

Press Releases

Michigan Central will soon be adding another valuable new resource to its mobility partners’ toolkit, as they tackle the mobility challenges of the future. Inductive charging will be coming to the district’s area, allowing for the testing of the next generation of battery-electric vehicle charging technology.

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Multi-propeller drone carrying a package

Governor Whitmer Announces Air Mobility Corridor Development in Michigan and Ontario

Press Releases

First-of-its-kind aerial mobility corridor study will test the feasibility of commercial drones and other aerial systems in three areas, including cross-border

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From Seed to Scale: Exploring the Fundraising Journey

November’s From Seed to Scale

Past Events

Exploring the Fundraising Journey Panel

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Artist Scott Hocking

Ford plans to turn Michigan Central Station and grounds into a showplace for public art

Art, In the News

A collection of public art will fill and surround Detroit’s Michigan Central Station once its renovation is complete thanks to a collaboration involving Ford Motor Co. and Detroit artists.

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people on bikes and scooters on Detroit street

ACCESSIBLE STREETS STUDIO VIRTUAL SHOWCASE

Past Events

In November we hosted a virtual showcase to celebrate the Accessible Streets Studio

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Electric Vehicle in Motion

Ford and Newlab Announce Startups to Pilot New Electric Vehicle Tech in Mobility Innovation Program

Press Releases

Ford and Newlab Announce Startups to Pilot New Electric Vehicle Tech in Mobility Innovation Program

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fall mobility show and tell - lessons learned from piloting

Bamboo: Fall Mobility Show & Tell

Past Events

In September we hosted our Fall Show & Tell meetup, where new mobility technologies that are being piloted and tested around the world were showcased.

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When complete, the Bagley Mobility Hub will be a state-of-the-art, tech-enabled mobility center

Ford Land, Vokal Ventures and Detroit Opportunity Fund II to Form Joint Venture for Innovative Mobility Hub in Corktown

Press Releases

Ford Land, Vokal Ventures LLC and Detroit Opportunity Fund II, an entity controlled by the Rakolta family, have announced plans to form a joint venture to construct, operate and maintain the Bagley Mobility Hub, the first new build within Michigan Central, Ford Motor Company’s new mobility innovation district in Corktown.

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Michigan Central computer rendering showing workstations and meeting lobbies.

Newlab Research Shows Detroit Is An Ideal Hub For Innovation

Press Releases

Newlab has its sights set on another major city with extraordinary potential to serve as a hub for transformative innovation: Detroit, where Newlab is currently working with Ford to help create an ambitious mobility innovation district anchored by Detroit’s iconic Michigan Central Station.

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bamboo - creating equity with mobility innovations

BAMBOO: CREATING EQUITY WITH MOBILITY INNOVATIONS

Past Events

New solutions to mobility are launching in neighborhoods and communities across the world.

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Michigan Central Station is being restored as the centerpiece of an innovation hub focused on designing the mobility solutions of the future.

Michigan Central Innovation District Has Made Great Strides Since June 2018 Announcement

Storytelling

Despite a global pandemic, vision for that innovation district has only sharpened and grown, with new plans to welcome innovators from around the globe to design and prototype in one of the nation’s most important historical restoration projects, with deep roots in, and deep commitment to, the Detroit community.

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summer show and tell

BAMBOO: SUMMER MOBILITY SHOW & TELL

Past Events

The Summer Show & Tell meetup is an event showcasing mobility technologies around the world piloting.

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rider on electric scooter in Detroit

First Accessible Streets Studio Pilots Launch This Summer

Press Releases

Construction won’t be completed on Michigan Central Station until 2022, but the mobility innovation district around the iconic landmark is already coming to life with transportation pilots designed to serve the community.

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Hear the story of Michigan Central Station

Michigan Central: Future of Global Mobility | Ford

Community

Michigan Central is a new mobility innovation district located in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood. Ford Motor Company is restoring the city’s iconic train station to be the centerpiece of this district, where mobility innovators and disruptors from around the world will develop, test, and launch new urban transportation solutions. Michigan Central will become part of the fabric of the neighborhood, with new and revitalized buildings, public spaces, a mobility testing platform and locally inspired retail, restaurants, hospitality and community amenities. This video was created by Detroit filmmaker Stephen McGee and poet Jessica Care Moore.

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The Book Depository will be the first major renovation at Michigan Central

First Major Renovation To Open At Michigan Central

Storytelling

The Book Depository will be the first major renovation at Michigan Central to open its doors, as one of several anchor buildings that will welcome entrepreneurs and startups as well as members of Ford’s mobility team from Detroit and around the world to develop, test and launch solutions to urban transportation challenges.

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Crews working at Michigan Central Station recently stumbled upon a pre-Prohibition-era Stroh’s beer bottle with a mysterious message neatly rolled and stuffed inside. Ford archivists removed the paper Thursday to reveal a message that is believed to have been written by two men who worked on the station’s original construction in 1913, though the entirety of the message is unclear.

Message Mystery at Michigan Central Station

Storytelling

Days after unveiling the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning, the next big reveal for Ford Motor Company is not a vehicle at all. Crews working at Michigan Central Station recently stumbled upon a pre-Prohibition-era Stroh’s beer bottle with a mysterious message neatly rolled and stuffed inside. Ford archivists removed the paper Thursday to reveal a message that is believed to have been written by two men who worked on the station’s original construction in 1913, though the entirety of the message is unclear.

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Vernor Plaza – Courtesy of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU)

The Accessible Streets Studio Announces First Cohort of Entrepreneurs

Press Releases

Michigan Central, Ford Motor Company’s new mobility innovation district in Corktown, and Newlab, a community of experts and innovators applying transformative technology to solve the world’s biggest challenges, today announced that seven companies from a competitive pool of global applicants have been selected as members of the inaugural cohort of the Accessible Streets Studio.

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venture capital panel discussion

BAMBOO: VENTURE CAPITAL DISCUSSION

Past Events

In May Bamboo hosted a panel discussion focused on opportunities in venture capital for mobility startups. During this event we heard from founders who’ve recently closed rounds and investors who’ve supported their journey, discussed when to take on investment, different strategies for fundraising, and how to find the right partners and capital type to grow.

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spring mobility show and tell

SPRING SHOW & TELL – LESSONS IN PILOTING

Past Events

The Spring Show & Tell meetup is an event showcasing mobility technologies around the world piloting.

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Lily Diego - design director for Gensler Detroit

Michigan Central: Meet the Book Depository Designer

Community

Next door to Michigan Central Station, sits the Albert Kahn-designed former Detroit Public School Book Depository. Global architect firm Gensler is reimaging this long-vacant building into the industrial center of Ford’s Michigan Central innovation district, with maker spaces, co-working areas, labs and mobility studios. Lily Diego, design director at Gensler’s Detroit office, chats with Amanda Lewan, co-founder and CEO of local co-working space Bamboo, about how her team will transform this art deco structure into a modern work environment that will foster innovation, connection and community.

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Vishaan Chakrabarti has a conversation with Corktown resident and community organizer Debra Walker

Michigan Central: Meet Our Architect

Community

The 30-acre site plan for the Michigan Central mobility innovation district was developed by lead architect and strategic planner Practice for Architecture and Urbanism. Founder and creative director Vishaan Chakrabarti envisions an inclusive, vibrant and walkable community anchored by Detroit’s iconic train station. Hear his conversation with Corktown resident and community organizer Debra Walker about how the plan will improve connections to the neighborhood, preserve the history of the area with a mix of old and new and drive innovation.

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The Bold Ones -a film directed by Stephen Mcgee and narrated by Jessica Care Moore

The Bold Ones

Community

In order to know the bones of city, you have to know every brick of it’s story.

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Mikyoung has a conversation with Southwest Detroit resident and Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation Programs and Development director Alexis Zavala

Michigan Central: Meet our Landscape Designer

Community

Award-winning Boston landscape architect Mikyoung Kim Design, working with Detroit-based livingLAB, has been tapped to design the mobility platform and other open spaces around Michigan Central into innovative civic centers that welcome the community in. Founder Mikyoung has a zoom conversation with Southwest Detroit resident and Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation Programs and Development director Alexis Zavala about how her team will approach this landmark project.

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John Goodrow Sr., of Capital Stoneworks Inc., located in Bridgeport, Michigan; spent 428 hours carving the capital stone from a 21,000-pound limestone block

Stone Carver Re-Creates 11,500-Pound Limestone Capital For Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

A new 11,500-pound replica of an original capital stone has been created and installed in the Waiting Room façade of Detroit’s historic Michigan Central Station after more than 400 hours of work by a mid-Michigan stoneworker. Ford Motor Company is restoring the building to its original grandeur as the centerpiece of a new mobility innovation district in Corktown.

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Ford Unveils Details of its Plans for Detroit’s Corktown

In the News

Two years ago, when Ford announced its intention to create the Michigan Central mobility innovation district, it created waves because the site included some of Detroit’s most iconic buildings—landmarks that had languished for decades.

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Michigan Central aerial view

Ford Unveils Michigan Central Site Plan for Corktown

In the News

Ford Motor Co. on Tuesday unveiled its site plan for Michigan Central, the project to transform the area around the historic former train depot in the city’s Corktown neighborhood into a campus focused on the mobility and transportation methods that will define the future of the automotive industry.

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In this June 19, 2018, file photo, Ford Motor Co., Executive Chairman Bill Ford addresses attendees outside the Michigan Central Train Depot, in Detroit. Ford Motor Co. is expanding its footprint in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood by adding onto plans that began with its purchase and renovation of the massive and once-derelict station. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker also plans to turn a vacant book warehouse into the industrial center for its 30-acre Michigan Central mobility innovation district. Details were released Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, and are part of Ford's $740 million project to create an innovation hub to help shape the way people and goods will move around in the future.

Ford to revamp Detroit book warehouse into innovation hub

In the News

Ford Motor Co. revealed plans Tuesday to transform a long-vacant book warehouse into a hub for automobile innovation in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood.

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Recording of community presentation revealing Michigan Central Site Plan.

A Conversation with Ford – November 17, 2020

Past Events

Recording of community presentation revealing Michigan Central Site Plan.

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Rendering of Michigan Central Station

Ford Reveals Plans For Inclusive, Vibrant, Walkable Mobility Innovation District Around Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

Ford’s vision for a 30-acre walkable community anchored by iconic Michigan Central Station is part of its plan to reshape the future of global mobility, working with other partners and connecting to a broader network of city and regional assets and innovation.

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November 9th Zoom Recording of the Michigan Central Listen and Learn Session with Mikyoung Kim

Listen & Learn Series: Reimagining Open Space with Mikyoung Kim Design

Past Events

November 9th Zoom Recording of the Michigan Central Listen and Learn Session

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Engineers perform 3D scans of pieces of Michigan Central Station

3D Scanning Technology Helps Transform Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

Ford Motor Company is using innovative 3D scanning technology to re-create some of the most precious pieces of 106-year-old Michigan Central Station, as transformation of the iconic building enters a phase of heavy masonry and interior restoration work.

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October 27th Zoom Recording of the Michigan Central Listen and Learn Session with NewLab

Michigan Central Listen & Learn Series: Accessible Streets Studio with Newlab

Past Events

October 27th Zoom Recording of the Michigan Central Listen and Learn Session

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first cohort of 25 individuals Fast Track Job Program at Michigan Central Station

Detroit Residents Get Fast Track To Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

Ford Motor Company, Christman|Brinker, Detroit at Work, Workforce Development Institute, Barton Malow, SkillSmart and Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council yesterday launched the Fast Track Job Program at Michigan Central Station.

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artist rendition of highway with land for self driving vehilces

Plans for first self-driving corridor announced in Michigan from Detroit to Ann Arbor

In the News

Government officials and Ford Motor Company announced plans for a major transportation initiative in southeast Michigan – a first-of-its-kind autonomous vehicle corridor that would stretch from downtown Detroit to Ann Arbor.

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Automated Valet Parking Ford Motor Company, Bedrock and Bosch are launching a demonstration project with connected Ford Escape test vehicles that can drive and park themselves inside Bedrock’s Assembly Garage in Detroit using Bosch smart infrastructure.

Ford, Bedrock And Bosch Exploring Highly Automated Vehicle Technology In Detroit To Help Make Parking Easier

Press Releases

Ford Motor Company, Bedrock and Bosch are launching a demonstration project with connected Ford Escape test vehicles that can drive and park themselves inside Bedrock’s Assembly Garage in Detroit using Bosch smart infrastructure. This is the first U.S. infrastructure-based solution for automated valet parking where the vehicle will park itself inside a parking garage.

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historic photo of Michigan Central Station

Michigan Central and the rebirth of Detroit

In the News

Rick Novasky has never forgotten the day back in the 1980s when he was working a shift in the ticket office at Detroit’s Michigan Central Station.

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Recording of meeting between Michigan Central and the Detroit Community regarding the Michigan Central Mobility Innovation District

A Conversation with Ford – June 25th 2020

Past Events

Recording of meeting between Michigan Central and the Detroit Community regarding the Michigan Central Mobility Innovation District

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Ford’s Michigan Central and Newlab Collaboration Michigan Central, Ford Motor Company’s development in Corktown, and Newlab, home to over 800 engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors applying transformative technologies to things that matter, today announced a collaboration to foster an innovation ecosystem committed to helping shape the future of mobility in a way that benefits everyone.

Ford’s Michigan Central And Newlab Collaborate To Drive Sustained Mobility Innovation Investment In Detroit

Press Releases

Michigan Central, Ford Motor Company’s development in Corktown, ​and Newlab​, home to over 800 engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors applying transformative technologies to things that matter, today announced a collaboration to foster an innovation ecosystem committed to helping shape the future of mobility in a way that benefits everyone. Pairing Ford’s automotive industry leadership with Newlab’s successful studio model, the alliance aims to tackle complex transportation problems related to connectivity, autonomy and electrification.

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Mercy Education Project, AbleLink Smart Living Technologies, as well as a team that includes the Downtown Detroit Partnership, DTE and local artists have been chosen as winners of the City:One Challenge. The three teams will split $250,000 in funding to test the implementation of their proposals in a real-world setting as they aim to improve mobility in the communities surrounding Michigan Central Station.

Detroit Announces Winners Of The City:One Challenge

Press Releases

After working collaboratively with residents in Detroit to identify transportation challenges and propose new ways to improve mobility in their communities, the city of Detroit announces the winning pilot proposals for the City:One Michigan Central Station Challenge.

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same Indiana quarry provides limestone for Michigan Central Station

A Century Later, Same Indiana Quarry Again Provides Limestone For Michigan Central Station

Storytelling

To retain the historical integrity of the station, which first opened in 1913, the limestone blocks being used to replace the deteriorating stone on the façade will be sourced from the same Indiana quarry that provided the limestone during the original construction. Some of those early blocks of limestone still lie in a field a few feet from where they were first mined more than 100 years ago.

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Wesley Burkman proposes to girlfriend in Michigan Central lobby

Bill Ford Makes Employee’s Marriage Proposal Wish A Reality

Storytelling

In 2017, Wesley Burkman’s life took an unexpected – and tragic – turn. His wife, Aleea, passed away at age 29, within a few weeks of being diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. In the time that followed, Burkman’s Ford colleagues gave him an outpouring of support to help him cope. People often asked him if his work was being flexible.

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VIEW OF THE MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION. PHOTO STEPHEN MCGEE

Dear Corktown, What Will the Future Hold with Ford Moving In?

In the News

When Ford Motor Company purchased Michigan Central Station in 2018 in Corktown, Detroit, the landmark had been vacant for years. Billionaire Matty Moroun’s company Controlled Terminals Inc. owned the station since 1992, promising restoration plans that never transpired. The station decayed over time from years of neglect and turned into a symbol of the blight representative of Detroit’s now-infamous past.

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Detroit Youth Choir DETROIT, Sept. 25, 2019 – Ford Motor Company invites the Detroit Youth Choir to rehearse in the iconic Michigan Central Station following its award-winning performance on “America’s Got Talent.” Following the rehearsal, Ford Motor Company Fund, the company’s philanthropic arm, presented each student in the 52-member choir with a $1,000 scholarship. Ford also donated a 15-passenger Transit van to help meet the singing group’s mobility needs, including transportation of individual members to and from rehearsal and community events. PHOTO BY: Charlotte Smith

Ford Fund Shares The Joy And Celebration Of The Detroit Youth Choir With Scholarships, 15-Passenger Transit Van

Press Releases

Ford Motor Company Fund is investing in the future with scholarships for each member of the Detroit Youth Choir who participated in their inspiring run on America’s Got Talent. Ford Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, is also helping to address the choir’s mobility needs by providing the group with a 15-passenger Transit van. Ford Fund is a longtime investor in the culture, arts and youth that help strengthen our communities, enrich the quality of life and bring people together

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Maguel Ligon and employees of RAM Construction Services

Ford And Its Michigan Central Station Contractors Bring Trade Jobs Back To Detroit

Storytelling

Seven young men from Detroit’s Randolph Technical School are among the team of workers helping RAM Construction Services with masonry and brick repairs at Michigan Central Station, which Ford Motor Company purchased last summer.

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Ford Michigan Central Station Ford Motor Company has acquired the iconic Michigan Central Station and plans to transform it into the centerpiece of a vibrant new campus in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood that will serve as an innovation hub for Ford’s vision for the future of transportation.

Ford, Detroit And PlanetM Launch $250,000 Community Challenge To Improve Mobility Around Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

The City of Detroit and PlanetM today are launching the City:One Michigan Central Station Challenge , a co-creation and crowdsourcing program for residents, businesses and community groups to propose and pilot solutions that improve mobility in the neighborhoods surrounding the historic train station.

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Corktown Information Center Ford is opening a new information center at the Factory at Corktown to facilitate engagement with the community.

Ford Opens Information Center In Corktown, A New Platform To Engage With The Community

Press Releases

Ford is opening an information center at The Factory at Corktown. Located at 1907 Michigan Avenue, the space will provide the public with access to project information, construction updates, mobility pilot programs and technologies, as well as community initiatives.

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As part of its Celebrating Culture and Community Grants Program, Ford Motor Company is awarding $250,000 this year to support nonprofit projects that reflect the unique culture and history of the neighborhoods surrounding Michigan Central Station. Motor City Street Dance Academy, $35,000 – Engage community members via hip-hop and empower them with the S.E.E.D. Program (Spreading the Elements Everywhere in Detroit)

Ford Community Grants Celebrate The Diverse Culture And Vibrant Neighborhoods Surrounding Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

As part of its Celebrating Culture and Community Grants Program, Ford Motor Company is awarding $250,000 this year to support nonprofit projects that reflect the unique culture and history of the neighborhoods surrounding Michigan Central Station.

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Michigan Central Station Construction Ford starts the second phase of construction at Michigan Central Station this week after 6 months of successful winterizing, drying out and securing the 640,000 square foot building.

Michigan Central Station’s Masonry, Steel Structure Are The Focus Of Second Phase Of Construction

Press Releases

Ford announced today that the second phase of construction at Michigan Central Station is underway, including restoring eight acres of masonry and repairing the steel structure of the historic Beaux-Arts building. The masonry repairs are the most labor and time intensive part of the restoration project and will continue into 2021.

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Adrienne Bennett the first female licensed master plumber and plumbing contractor in North America

Plumb Gig: Ford Hires History-Making Detroit Plumber To Preserve Station

Storytelling

As Ford works to rebuild the historic Michigan Central Station, it is only fitting that one of its contractors has herself made history.

Four decades ago, when Adrienne Bennett earned her plumber’s license, she became the first woman in Michigan to successfully complete a plumbing apprenticeship program in the state. A few years later, when she became a licensed master plumber and plumbing contractor, she was the first female in North America to do so.

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Michigan Wind Energy Ford Motor Company is announcing the procurement of 500,000 megawatt hours of locally sourced Michigan wind energy through DTE’s MIGreenPower program. DTE Energy's Pinnebog Wind Farm pictured.

Ford Motor Company To Procure Locally Sourced Michigan Wind Energy Through Collaboration With Dte Energy

Press Releases

Ford Motor Company’s Dearborn Truck Plant, home of the Ford F-150 and Ford Raptor, Michigan Assembly Plant, home of the new 2019 Ford Ranger, and several new buildings on the Ford Research and Engineering Campus and Corktown campus, including Michigan Central Station, will soon be powered by 100 percent locally sourced renewable energy. This is in addition to the 500-kilowatt solar photovoltaic panel system already in place at Michigan Assembly.

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MCS Winter Festival Ford’s Michigan Central Station Winter Festival is expected to draw a large crowd despite the cold weather to enjoy a 3D light show on the iconic building, a night market and a first-of-its-kind exhibition of train station artifacts curated by the Detroit Historical Society.

Ford Hosts Winter Festival At Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

Ford’s Michigan Central Station Winter Festival opened today to a large crowd that braved the weather to enjoy a 3D light show on the iconic building, a night market and a first-of-its-kind exhibition of train station artifacts curated by the Detroit Historical Society. Other family-friendly activities include live graffiti painting, face painting, fire pits with s’mores, artist demonstrations, live performances, vendor shops, community booths and an ice sculpture of the train station.

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Michigan Central Station Artifacts Ford is creating a new exhibit to give the public an opportunity to see this growing collection of Michigan Central Station artifacts. Cast iron elevator buttons pictured.

Return Of More Artifacts Allows Ford To Create A New Michigan Central Station Exhibit

Press Releases

Since Ford announced plans to purchase the iconic train station last June as the centerpiece of its new mobility campus, residents from Metro Detroit and beyond have brought back a variety of artifacts and decorative parts taken from the historic building during the three decades it stood abandoned. From old mail chutes to fountains to light fixtures, these salvaged objects are not only helping Ford in its preservation efforts but play an important role in linking the station’s past to its future.

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Michigan Central Station Construction Ford begins its four-year renovation of Michigan Central Station in Detroit’s historic Corktown neighborhood.

Ford Begins First Phase Of Construction At Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

This week, Ford begins its renovation of 105-year-old Michigan Central Station in the historic Corktown neighborhood. In revitalizing this Detroit landmark into the centerpiece of a new campus, Ford seeks to shape the future of transportation.

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Michigan Central Station Partners Ford Motor Company is advancing its Corktown campus plans with the selection of its first architectural and construction partners that will work on restoring Michigan Central Station to its original grandeur. Quinn Evans Architects will lead the design work, while Christman and Brinker are teamed up in a joint venture to serve as construction manager for the Corktown transformation project.

Ford Selects Restoration Design And Construction Partners For Michigan Central Station

Press Releases

Ford Motor Company is advancing its Corktown campus plans with the selection of its first architectural and construction partners that will work on restoring Michigan Central Station to its original grandeur. Quinn Evans Architects will lead the design work, while Christman and Brinker are teamed up in a joint venture to serve as construction manager for the Corktown transformation project.

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Ford vehicles form a trunk-or-treat parking lot outside the station that is open to the public

Michigan Central Station Comes Alive For Halloween

Press Releases

Ford and its community partners today hosted a family friendly Halloween event at Michigan Central Station, Detroit’s most iconic landmark, for 800 neighborhood residents and Ford employees.

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William Clay Ford Jr. Interview | A Drink With - Detroit

William Clay Ford Jr. Interview | A Drink With – Detroit

In the News

Welcome to the Season Finale of Season 2 of “A Drink With – Detroit!” This week we are pleased to be sharing a drink with someone we’ve been wanting to have on the show since the beginning, William Clay Ford Jr. Ford is the great grandson to the founder of Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford, and is the company’s current executive chairman.

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Reimagined Detroit Tech Nearly 200 millennial leaders participated in Reimagined Detroit Tech, a day of design challenges and workshops to share ideas and a new vision for Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, as Ford renovates Michigan Central Station and creates a new tech and mobility hub.

Ford Opens Historic Train Station To Listen To New Ideas, Voices Of Corktown Community

Press Releases

Ford Motor Company sharpened its vision for Detroit’s Corktown community by inviting nearly 200 millennial leaders from across the region to participate in Reimagined Detroit Tech, a day of design challenges, workshops and community building ideas focused on shaping the future of Detroit’s oldest neighborhood.

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Transit Donation July, 28, 2018, Detroit, MI - Karen Gates, founder of The Ark Association, along with volunteers, celebrate the gift of a new 12-passenger Ford Transit from the Ford Motor Company Fund.

Ford Delivers New Transit To Help Feed Detroit’s Homeless At Roosevelt Park Near Michigan Central Train Station

Press Releases

On Saturday, Ford Motor Company delivered a 12-passenger Transit van to The Ark Association. Every Saturday for the past 17 years they have set up shop at Detroit’s Roosevelt Park in front of Michigan Central Station to provide food, clothing and hope to the hungry and homeless.

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Bill Ford at Michigan Central Station

Ford Acquires Iconic Michigan Central Station As Centerpiece Of New Detroit Campus To Usher In Ford’s Smart, Connected Future

Press Releases

In a week in which the company celebrated its 115th anniversary, Ford today formally announced the acquisition of Michigan Central Station. Ford employees, city and state officials, Corktown residents and Detroit civic leaders attended the ceremony at the iconic former train station.

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alt="Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. poses for a photo in Michigan Central Station in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood in Detroit on Wednesday, June 13, 2018."

Bill Ford shares vision for Corktown

In the News

Day after day, Bill Ford drove his Mustang GT along Michigan Avenue between Dearborn and Detroit, past the graffiti-covered train station. And he started to wonder about his legacy, his family’s legacy and the future of Ford Motor Co.

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Michigan Central Station before renovations

Inside the decaying Detroit train station Ford is transforming into its self-driving car hub

In the News

Ford Motor Company is stepping up its efforts to help Detroit compete with Silicon Valley. The automaker will reveal plans Tuesday morning to transform a 105-year-old train station into its high-tech base for the future of automotive mobility. Ford executive chairman Bill Ford Jr. recently gave “CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King an exclusive tour of the historic space.

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