The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-18
ROOF OF NEW MICHIGAN
CENTRAL DEPOT WILL Be
HIGHEST POINT IN CITY
Magnificent Structure Will
Stretch Up $50 Feet, Tower
ing Above Ford Building.
PLANS y ARE COMPLETED
Every Convenience Known To
Railway Station Architec-
ture Will Be Included.
PLANS ARE COMPLETED

trail depot are now practically COM
pleted and have been approved by
the engineering department of the
road The details carry out the
statements made when the building
was first contemplated that the De-
trolt terminal Is to be one of the
finest buildings OF it's class in the
country. The plans were prepared
by the Grand Central Associated
Architects OF New York.
AS has been announced in the pre-
limlnary statement the building Will
be located between Fifteenth and
Eighteenth-sts., southwest OF the in
tersection OF Fifteenth and DalZelle-
SITS. 1t will face on new esplanade
which will be cut through 10
connect Fifteenth-st. with the
Eighteenth-st. subway.
The building will have a frontage
OF 345 feet, and will extend back
266 feet. 1t will be in the shape OF
a rectangle up to the top of the
waiting room roof. and above will
be IN the shape OF q capital letter
IL" The total height OF the build
ing will be 230 feet The base will
be OF granite and the rest of the
lower stories up to the waiting room
rcos will be Bedford limestone. The
upper stories will be of light bun
brick. The foundation Is to be con-
crete and the framework OF steel.
The main floor Of the depot is ar
ranged with the idea of furnishing
the maximum OF convenience to the
passengers who pass through IL.
There will be three entrances, and
an effort will be made to separate
the incoming and outgoing traffic so
that there will be no congestion.
The main entrance will be at the
front OF the building through an
Italian garden facing the street. On
the east side Of the building will be
the entrance from the street car
loop, the approach being over an
ornamental bridge. The main stream
Of traffic will probably be through
this entrance, the passengers going
through the elevator corridor, then
through an arcade to the ticket lobby
on line with tie east entrance.
The telephone booth, stores, news
stands, etc, Will be located along
this corridor.
South OF the ticket lobby will be
located the concourse leading TO the
train shed On the west side OF the
concourse will be the baggage rooms.
From the concourse there will be
covered balcony for passengers COM
ing from the trains leading to the
street car entrance on the east side,
and, also, a cab and automobile en-
trance which will be covered in
stormy weather, but open for air on
fair days.
The waiting room proper will be
In the front of the building. the
main room being 235x100 feet. OFF
the main room will be reading
room..tea room and women's room,
restaurant and lunch room.
Every convenience for the traveller
will be found in the station Bath
rooms will be provided which can be
rented by those who come into the
city for the theater, etc, enabling
them to change their clothes i'm the
station. The rooms will be locked
and guarded by an attendant. The
parcel checking room will be so To-
Gated that passengers may have ac-
cess to II either from the arcade or
the concourse. There will be no
steps whatever to be traversed IN
going from the entrance TO the
trains, differences In elevation being
provided for by an incline corridor
The baggage, mail and express ia
Ciiiries will be located under the
tracks in the train shed and will be
reached by a subway west OF the
station and also from Newark-st
There will also be an incline drive
way on the east side of the building
for use of the mail wagons and on
others at right angles to the build
ing. The baggage. mail and express
will all be raised to the train plat
form by elevators, avoiding any
trucking on the platform and giving
the entire space for handling the
passengers.
The train shed will be OF the
Bush" type in use in several of the
large new stations. The roof is to-
be only a few inches above the top
of the smoke stack and there will be
ducts the full length of each track
which will carry off the smoke,
eliminating the smoky atmosphere
which is usual in train sheds. The
platform will be lighted through
skylights.
There will be | 8 Office floors above
the waiting room roof, each floor
having an area Of $4,000 square feet.
There will also be mezzanine floor
for Office use This will be sufficient
for the growth OF all the depart
ments Of the road for long period
TO come.
1--WE have planned to make the
station large enough to provide for
all the passengers that come into
Detroit over all the roads for at
least % years to come" said Chief
Engineer Webb.
The top Of the new station will
be the highest point in the city. The
Ford building which Is actually
higher above the street will be over
topped because OF the difference I'm
elevation. IL will be the most prom
inent feature in the skyline OF the
city and will probably be visible
from any point.
The city plan and Improvement
commission has been cooperating
with the railroad engineers and IL
Is expected that a plan for beauti-
flying the approaches and making
thar, ynnra convaufauf From, The