As corporate office square footage continues to shrink, the need for coworking spaces is only increasing. Both startups and Fortune 500 companies now have a new option in Detroit: The Michigan Central Mezz, which opened in late April on the mezzanine level of Michigan Central Station.
Located across the street from Newlab, which offers coworking spaces for hard-tech startups, the latest development at the former train station looks to provide a place for innovators to hold formal meetings away from the industrial environment of the lab. Both Newlab and the station are part of the 30-acre innovation district known as Michigan Central.
“We want this space to be adjacent but connected to Newlab,” says Clare Braun, director of strategy and integration at Michigan Central. “This is where the corporate innovators are coming to see what’s happening, and the hard-tech startups can pitch their ideas to them.”
Membership, which is also open to companies outside of the hard-tech sphere, starts at $300 a month and includes 24/7 access to The Mezz. The 17,000-square-foot space features plenty of windows and natural light, plus amenities including a kitchen, private areas, quiet zones, conference rooms, and access to the gym in Newlab’s lower level.
Members have exclusive opportunities to network with venture capital firms, universities, and other industry partners. Current members include Grand Valley State University, Cummins, and General Dynamics. Nonmembers can rent select conference rooms for meetings and team retreats. Dedicated private offices are available on the sixth floor of the station.
The Mezz was designed by Hannah-Neuman/Smith, the Detroit-based firm behind the buildouts of Yellow Light, The Study, and The Shop inside Michigan Central.
“As people are innovating, they need different things at different times, so that’s what we’re trying to build out here,” Braun says.
This story originally appeared in the June 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition
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