Architect Lucas C. McGrail gave us an extensive look at the history of train stations in Detroit, including the rise, fall and rebirth of the Michigan Central Station, scheduled to reopen in June of 2024. Lucas noted the sad history of Detroit's failure to protect historically significant buildings, but also explained why the Michigan Central Station was an exception. He described how the building was vandalized, graffitied, and stripped of many of its beaux arts adornments, but also how many of them were recovered or refabricated by Ford.
For pictures of the meeting, see March 12, 2024 Membership Meeting
For more details, see https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/michigan-central-station
Lucas McGrail is an architect and Detroit historian who has lived in or around Detroit since 1979 and has worked for Cannon Design, The Garrison Company, & Walbridge Aldinger. He holds aBachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy, a Master’s degree in Architecture from Lawrence Tech, he operates the Detroit Artifacts Museum Facebook page, and has been involved with the re-gentrification of many abandoned but historic buildings in Detroit. Currently he is employed by the City of Detroit as an Act 54 certified building inspector and plan reviewer and is the Supervisor for the Dangerous Building Division.
Lucas is a frequent lecturer at colleges and community organizations on the history and architecture of Detroit. He is recognized in the community as a Detroit expert. He has been cited in local newspapers & media as well as national publications, such as the Metro Times, Hour Magazine, Utne Reader, Travel & Leisure, and TheTimes Media Group.