Michigan Central Station
Location: Detroit
Year: 1914
Cost: $15 million*
After the 1913 Detroit train station fire, the local authorities had to build a new one. The West Vernor Highway building cost $15 million. The Grand Central architects designed the city’s tower. As demand for such a large train stop dwindled, Michigan Central closed permanently in 1988. Ford Motor Company bought the building in 2018 and announced intentions to repurpose it into a hub. After 30 years, the building is being renovated. Ford will likely revitalize the historic site in Michigan with much-needed funding. The building may look forlorn today, but the carmaker will transform it. A miracle can happen.
Michigan Central Station
Cape Romano Dome House
Location: Marco Island, Florida
Year: 1979
Cost: $20 million+*
The Cape Romano Dome House seems like a floating alien building. The linked structures were erected on land by businessman Bob Lee in 1979. Each 2,400-square-foot concrete dome included under-floor heating. Hurricane Andrew devastated the house’s interior in 1992, making it unlivable. Therefore, the Lee family left and never returned. The buyer tried to salvage it by transferring it inland, but it was too late. Two domes have collapsed and four are badly corroded—all are now in the sea. It is unfortunate that the Lee family lost such a beloved home. They often reminisce about their wonderful memories there. If Hurricane Andrew hadn’t hit and the construction had been placed further ashore, the outcome may have been different.
Cape Romano Dome House
