Ann Arbor Bus Depot, Art Deco bus terminal in downtown Ann Arbor, United States
The Ann Arbor Bus Depot is a 1940 transportation building downtown with black granite walls accented by Indiana limestone, curved glass windows, and a distinctive stainless steel-trimmed porcelain enamel marquee. Inside, the space featured passenger seating, a lunch counter, baggage handling facilities, and a ticket office for regional bus service.
Opened in 1940 as the Eastern Michigan Motorbus Terminal, the building replaced an 1898 interurban railway station that once connected Ann Arbor with nearby Ypsilanti. The transition reflected the shift from rail to bus transportation for regional travel during the early 20th century.
The building served as a meeting place where students, travelers, and local residents gathered before journeys across Michigan and beyond. Its streamlined form expressed the era's optimism and confidence in modern transportation and progress.
The building is centrally located and accessible by foot from downtown streets with nearby parking options and other businesses in the area. The original architecture is preserved at street level, making it easy to view the facade and historical details.
Key elements of the original Streamline Moderne facade and the historic marquee were preserved and incorporated into the new hotel development that now occupies the site. This adaptive reuse allows visitors to appreciate the original architecture while the property serves a new purpose.
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