If you’ve ever visited Detroit, chances are good that you’ve seen the towering Michigan Central Station. This now-abandoned train depot stands tall in the heart of the Motor City’s Corkdown district, just steps from Roosevelt Park. Since 1975, Michigan Central Station has been included on the National Register of Historic Places.

When it was first constructed in 1913, the railroad station served as an architecturally stunning and bustling hub for travelers going to and from Detroit. During its early years, the building was a symbol of Detroit’s industrial prowess and active city atmosphere — even its interior was breathtaking.

The building held military importance throughout World War II, during which American troops regularly traveled via the station. It wasn’t until after the war, when automobile use increased significantly, that the station began to see a marked decline in passenger traffic. As business flopped, the restaurants and shops housed inside the station closed one-by-one.

Over the next several decades, Michigan Central Station went through several ownership shake-ups and restructuring plans, most of which were never fully realized. Despite the efforts of various railway companies, the station closed its doors for good in 2004 and was slated for demolition — this destruction was never carried out due to a lawsuit brought against the city citing the building’s importance as a historical site.

Today, the station sits silently, a haunting reminder of Detroit’s economic woes and social struggles. The drone footage below captures the eerie emptiness of this once-magnificent building and offers a firsthand look at one of the Motor City’s most famous abandoned spots. There’s something desperately sad and strange about footage of such a massive building sitting lifelessly in the midst of the city, but there’s also a strange beauty in the hollow corridors of Michigan Central Station. Take a look for yourself:

In recent years, renovation plans have been drawn up for the abandoned Michigan Central Station, though the structure’s future ultimately remains a mystery. What do you think should be done with this once-popular locale? Is it worth saving, or should a new building be constructed in its place? Share your thoughts and memories with us in the comment section below.

For more amazing drone footage of Detroit, click here to visit the YouTube page of TheGadgetGuy1.

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