The Construction Association of Michigan (CAM) Announces Michigan Central Station as the CAM Magazine Project of the Year 2024
The Construction Association of Michigan (CAM) has announced that Michigan Central Station has been chosen as the 2024 CAM Magazine Project of the Year.
Detroit's iconic Michigan Central Station has been gloriously restored and revived, representing a pinnacle of construction achievement led by the Christman | Brinker Corktown Transformation Joint Venture. Congratulations to Ford Motor Company, Christman | Brinker, Quinn Evans Architects, Giffels Webster, Buro Happold, TYLin | Silman Structural Solutions, and the thousands of skilled trades workers who brought this project to life.
Ford Motor Company's visionary restoration transformed the long-abandoned Beaux-Arts masterpiece into the centerpiece of a new 30-acre innovation hub. This project, requiring 1.7 million work hours, not only saved a vital piece of Detroit's history but also sparked a renaissance in the Corktown neighborhood, attracting startups, established companies, and academic institutions.
The meticulous restoration involved 3,100 skilled workers employing both time-honored craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology. From the painstaking repair of the Guastavino tile ceilings to the sourcing of original Dark Hollow Rift limestone, the project team overcame immense challenges to preserve the station's historic fabric while creating a vibrant space for innovation and community.
The Project of the Year was announced at CAM’s 139th Annual Meeting on February 12, 2025, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. "The meticulous restoration of this iconic structure showcases the exceptional skill, expertise, and unwavering commitment of our Michigan contractors, many of which are valued members of the Construction Association of Michigan." said CAM President Kevin Koehler. “Their dedication to preserving Detroit's architectural heritage has breathed new life into this landmark, leaving an enduring mark on the city's story.”
A full feature article on the Michigan Central Station development, which appeared in the October 2024 Project Achievement Awards issue of CAM Magazine, can be viewed at https://buildwithcam.com/cam-magazine.
In 2024, CAM Magazine celebrated 28 years of publishing its annual Project Achievement Awards issue. How it works: In early January, CAM puts out a call for its member companies to submit their best construction projects of the previous year. Twelve finalists are selected and featured in this issue, which comes out each October. The owners, general contractors, and architects from these projects are interviewed and sites are toured prior to the writing of the feature articles. The Project of the Year is selected by the CAM Magazine Editorial Advisory Committee, association staff, and an online vote, and the winner is announced at CAM’s Annual Meeting each February.
CAM is currently accepting submissions for its Special Issue 2025. To be eligible, projects must be constructed or designed by a CAM member company and must have been completed – or reached substantial completion – between June 2024 and June 2025. The deadline for submitting projects is Friday, March 21, 2025. Advertising opportunities are available. Visit https://buildwithcam.com/cam-magazine for more information and to submit projects.
The list of all 12 finalists and their core project teams from CAM Magazine Project Achievement Awards Issue 2024:
2024 Project of the Year:
Michigan Central Station | Detroit
Owner: Ford Motor Company
Construction Manager: Christman | Brinker Corktown Transformation Joint Venture
Architect: Quinn Evans Architects
Engineer, Civil/Landscape/Surveying: Giffels Webster
Engineer, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing: Buro Happold
Engineer, Structural: TYLin | Silman Structural Solutions
2024 Finalists (in no particular order):
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union 311 Abbot | East Lansing
Construction Manager: Granger Construction Company
Architect: Neumann/Smith Architecture
Engineer: IMEG
Grand Blanc Athletic Complex | Grand Blanc
Construction Manager: AUCH Construction
Architect: Integrated Design Solutions
Engineers: Integrated Design Solutions, Spalding DeDecker Associates, IMEG, Foresite Design, and Counsilman-Hunsaker & Associates
The Godfrey Detroit |Detroit
Construction Manager: Christman / Norcon JV
Architect of Record: Neumann/Smith Architecture
Design Architect: Elkus Manfredi Architecture
Our Next Energy's Battery Production Plant | Van Buren Twp.
Construction Manager: KIRCO MANIX
Architect and Engineer: Ghafari Associates, LLC
Agree Realty Corporate Headquarters | Royal Oak
Construction Manager: Sachse Construction
Architect: Biddison Architects + Design
Engineers: MA Engineering and Resurget Engineering
Elijah McCoy Consolidated Services Center | Detroit
Construction Managers: Roncelli, Inc. and Devon Industrial Group
Architect: Albert Kahn Associates
Engineer: Monument Engineering Group
Sartorius AG Center of Excellence | Ann Arbor
Construction Manager: J.S. Vig Construction Company
Architect: Hobbs + Black Architects
Engineers: Mechanical Electrical Engineering Consultants, Midwestern Consulting, JDH Engineering, and iDesign Solutions
Dow Event Center Capital Improvements | Saginaw
Construction Manager: Spence Brothers
Architect and Engineer: William A. Kibbe & Associates, Inc.
University of Michigan Hayward Street Geoexchange Plant | Ann Arbor
Construction Manager: Walbridge
Architect and Engineer: SmithGroup
Geoexchange Consultant: Strategic Energy Solutions
Kent County Road Commission Central Complex | Walker
Construction Manager: Owen-Ames-Kimball Company
Architect: Hobbs+Black Architects
Civil Engineer: Nowak & Fraus Engineers
Design Team: Commtech Design, JDH Structural Engineering, Hobbs+Black Architects, Matrix Consulting Engineers, Nowak & Fraus Engineers
Michigan State University Tom Izzo Football Building | East Lansing
Construction Manager: Granger Construction Company
Architect: Integrated Design Solutions
Civil/Landscape Engineer: Beckett & Raeder
MEP Engineer: Integrated Design Solutions
Structural Engineer: Structural Design Inc.
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