Coquina Daily

Monday, June 8, 2009

Maestro

As the War in Europe rages, a young composer prepares for his debut - unaware that the United States has already prepared a draft for nearly a million soldiers. While he is thrust into a war he never asked to fight, the final blow comes after the last shot is fired, and he returns to New York.

A short film of epic proportions - which took nearly a year to complete along with hundreds of man hours to perfect the film.

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Michigan Central Station - 1987

A "video" glimpse of the Michigan Central Station while it was still in use. Below, video taken in 1999, eleven years after the station was closed.

Michigan Central Station












Michigan Central Station (also known as Michigan Central Depot or MCS), built in 1913 for the Michigan Central Railroad, was Detroit, Michigan's passenger rail depot from its opening in 1913 after the previous Michigan Central Station burned, until the cessation of Amtrak service on January 6, 1988. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest rail station in the world. The building, located in the Corktown district of Detroit near Tiger Stadium and the Ambassador Bridge about 2 miles southwest of downtown Detroit, still stands today, though it remains unoccupied. It is located behind Roosevelt Park, and the Roosevelt Warehouse is situated next to it. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Restoration projects and plans have gone as far as the negotiation process, but none have come to fruition. Restoration of Michigan Central Station is seen as an important project for the economic development of the City of Detroit.

On April 7, 2009 the Detroit City Council passed a resolution aimed at the demolition of the Depot. Seven days later, Detroit resident Stanley Christmas sued the city of Detroit to stop the demolition effort, citing the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

The building is of the Beaux-Arts Classical style of architecture, designed by the Warren & Wetmore and Reed and Stem firms who also designed New York City's Grand Central Terminal. The price tag for this 500,000-square-foot building was $15 million when it was built. The building is composed of two distinct parts: the train station itself and the 18-storey tower. The roof height is 230 feet. Ideas as to what the tower was originally designed for include a hotel, offices for the rail company, or a combination of both. In reality, the tower was only used for office space by the Michigan Central Railroad and subsequent owners of the building. The interiors of at least the top floor were completed and served no function.

The main waiting room on the main floor was modeled after an ancient Roman bathhouse with walls of marble. The building also housed a large hall adorned with Doric columns and contained the ticket office and arcade shops. Beyond the arcade was the concourse, which had brick walls and a large copper skylight. From here, passengers would walk down a ramp to the departing train platforms, 11 tracks in all. Below the tracks and building is a large area for baggage, mail, and other office building functions. The building has been stripped of most valuable items including brass fixtures. It has also been the victim of extensive vandalism.
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Today's Activities at Coquina Crossing

6:00 Horseshoes
7:00 Clubhouse Bunco

Tomorrow's Activities at Coquina Crossing

7:45 & 8:45 Aqua Aerobics
9:00 Tennis
9:00 Men's Bible Study
10:00 Beginning Tap/Open Art Class
12:30 Chorus Mgt. Meeting
1:00 Quilters/Rummy
2:00 Band Practice/Mah-jongg
4:00 Ballet/Jazz/Tap Dance
7:00 Billiards/Needlework
7:00 HACC Meeting
7:05 Sun's Baseball Game

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Coquina Daily Sunset

yesterday's sunset by marcus claesson