The Morouns purchased the 18-story depot in 1996 and have since faced unrelenting criticism for letting it fall into disrepair, even though trains stopped running there in 1988 and it was already in decline.
"We decided that we weren't going to tear it down, instead we were going to preserve it through a multi-level approach," said Matthew Moroun, the son of Matty Moroun.
"In order to preserve it, we have to clean it up, replace the windows and the roof to keep water out of the building. We also intend to secure it to keep people out."
Since the spring, the family said it has spent nearly $1 million on preservation efforts.
"We're closing in on a million pretty fast just for cleanup, removing the broken glass, asbestos and caulking," Matthew Moroun said.
"We expect it will take anywhere from 18 to 24 months to get to the point where we can take a realistic look at what can be done with the building."
Knibbe said there is no set timetable for installation of the new glass and roof.
"Measurements have to be taken, glass has to be ordered plus we're still clearing debris from the roof," said Knibbe, who helped restore the Fox Theatre, Fort Shelby Hotel and old Wayne County Courthouse.
Majestic concourse
A look inside the depot generates awe paired with a Pompeian sense of history and former grandeur.
The concourse — now marred with graffiti and scarred by vandalism — is vast and majestic. Marble arches support a vaulted ceiling more than 60 feet high before leading to a hall that housed a ticket office and shopping arcade to accommodate as many as 4,000 travelers who once arrived there daily.
Bathed in shades of black, white and gray, the interior is a good 20 degrees cooler than outside and the wind whistles in through hundreds of glassless windows.
Read the full story at the Detroit News
