From Rail Commuters to Autonomous Vehicles, Acres of Masonry Have You Covered

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 | 12-1 p.m. Eastern Time
THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO AIA FOR CREDIT.

Constructed in 1913, Michigan Central Station witnessed the rise and decline of rail travel until 1988 when the last train left the station. Abandoned for several decades, the effects of weather and water took their toll on the building's masonry. The Ford Motor Company recently rehabilitated the building to serve as the heart of an innovation campus. Join us to discuss the repair and restoration of the building's various masonry assemblies including the massive Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling in the original waiting room.
michigan-central-lobby-guastavino-vaults

 Learning Objectives:

  • Explore the history of Michigan Central Station, the factors leading to its construction, and its evolution over time.
  • Discover how the deteriorative processes lead to the breakdown of the masonry assemblies and the steps taken to restore, repair, and replace these materials.
  • Explain the Guastavino vault construction, structural implications of its deterioration, and the scope of required repairs.
  • Identify the role of consultants and specialty trades in the masonry restoration process.

About the Speaker

Rob Yallop​​​​, LEED® AP, CDT
Senior Project Manager, The Christman Company

Yallop_Robert_2019Rob is a Senior Project Manager with The Christman Company, where he has been a key member of the Historic Preservation Group since 2018. Recently, he contributed to the rehabilitation of the former Michigan Central Station’s exterior envelope. With 30 years of experience in historic preservation, Rob has played a vital role in restoring and rehabilitating some of the nation’s most significant historic landmarks.

Before joining Christman, Rob worked as a project manager with Lord, Aeck, Sargent Architects in Atlanta and Ann Arbor, serving a diverse range of clients, including federal, state, and local governments, higher education institutions, and private organizations. His work spans Michigan, the southeastern United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Rob earned a Bachelor of Technology in Architectural Science with a specialization in Project Management from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson Polytechnical Institute) in 1991. He then completed a Master of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1993.

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