Masonry of Lake Superior red sandstone, noted for its distinctive patterns, provides one of the most striking aspects of the Depot's exterior.

Thomas Edison as well as Presidents William Howard Taft and Gerald Ford visited here.

[2] In 1982, Amtrak moved operations to a newer facility located five blocks to the south on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad line, as part of a line consolidation that saw Conrail's ex-New York Central line through downtown closed and removed.

The Michigan Central Depot sat empty for seven years.

In 1989 restaurateurs Peter Jubeck and Ross Simpson purchased the depot and transformed it into a restaurant named Clara's on the River which opened June 8, 1992.