At a community meeting this week, Ford Motor Company revealed the site plan for Michigan Central, a new walkable mobility innovation district in Corktown, Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, as well as designs for some of the district’s first buildings. Ford’s multiyear development, including the restoration of the iconic Michigan Central Station, is underway.

The 30-acre site plan was developed by lead architect and strategic planner Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). It will be a walkable community that is anchored by a train station. According to Ford, the new development will prioritize the needs of residents and businesses as well as the 5,000 employees who work there.

“This project is about preparing Ford for another century of innovation and success,” said Mary Culler, Ford’s Detroit development director and Ford Fund president. “At Michigan Central, we are taking a collaborative approach to innovation, including providing flexible work spaces that attract and engage the best minds to solve complex transportation and related challenges as we shape the future of mobility together.”

Four key buildings will make up the development: Michigan Central Station; the Book Depository, which sits adjacent to the station as is being transformed into a maker space by Gensler; Building West; and The Factory, which is already home to 250 members of Ford's autonomous vehicle business unit.

The Gensler-designed Book Depository will be a mixed-use space that capitalizes on the building's expansive floorplates, 20-foot ceilings, large windows, and inherent aesthetic features. It will include co-working space, hands-on labs, and innovation studios for tenants to create, learn and collaborate.

According to Ford, work on the Book Depository and Bagley Parking Hub will begin in the first quarter of 2021, with both buildings expected to open in early 2022. Michigan Central Station is currently in the middle of phase two of the restoration. The project is on track to be completed by the end of 2022.