A beautiful Beaux Arts train station on Detroit's West side. It was built in 1913, and for the next 70 years served as the gateway to the North for millions of immigrants and travelers. It was abandoned in 1988 and, as is fitting for an important Detroit landmark, left to rot in the embrace of vandalism and neglect.

The 20 story monument dominates the skyline, with arcing and weaving railroad tracks charging in from all directions of the horizon. From a distance, the tracks look like veins streaking to the common nexus; a dark monolith thrust bluntly into the sky.

Even after a decade of vandalism, the crumbling, graffiti-stained interior still betrays a palatial aesthetic. Rows of mammoth columns hold up the cavernous three-story main lobby, its arced ceiling spanning more than a football field. The exterior, stained by rain and blemished with broken windows and crumbling masonry, is still beautifully intricate.

The building was designed by architectural firm Warren and Wetmore, who also created Grand Central Station in New York City. It cost $15 million at the time of construction, but is believed to cost as much as $300 million to restore. Demolition is inevitable.