It’s January in Detroit and I’ve got breaking news for you: it’s going to be cold for the next 3 months. Yes, we may have a day of warmth sprinkled in here and there but this is winter in Michigan and we’ll have freezing temperatures. Shocking, I know!

But you still need to get around downtown Detroit, right? You’ve got things to do and people to see. So, how do you do this without freezing your tushie off? I’ve got a solution for you.

If you work or play downtown there’s a way to keep warm while travelling through the different landmarks of Detroit.

Mark Nickita, architect and president of Archive Design Studio as well as co-owner of Pure Detroit, Stella International Cafes, and The Rowland Café, routinely takes people on this little tour of Detroit that is very helpful if you want to keep warm and dry.

Nickita devised a route that will keep you inside while getting where you need to go. From the RenCen to the Compuware Building and everywhere in between, you only need to be outside to cross the street. Go from lobby to lobby, check out the shops and architecture, and stay warm. ﻿



View Keep warm while exploring downtown Detroit in a larger map

1. Starting at the GM Renaissance Center, take the covered skyway to the Millender Center.

GM Renaisance Center skywalk.

2. Proceed through the Millender Center and take the covered skyway to the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.

Millender Center

3. You’ll have to go down the stairs at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center and walk outside here because of security.

Covered walkway from the Millender Center to the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.

4. Kitty corner is the Guardian Building. Enter off of Larned and exit through the side entrance onto Griswold.

The glorious banking hall of the Guardian Building.

5. Across the street is the Buhl Building, exit onto Congress.

6. Cross the street and enter the Penobscot Building. Exit onto Fort Street.

7. Cross over to The Dime Building. Exit back onto Griswold Street.

The lobby of the Dime Building.

8. Go East on Michigan Avenue to the 1001 Woodward building. Exit onto Woodward Avenue.

9. Cross Woodward and head into the Compuware Building.

The atrium in the Compuware Building.

10. Walk through Campus Martius and enter the First National Building off of Cadillac Square and exit onto Congress.

11. Cross Congress and walk under the covered atrium of Comerica Tower.

The covered walk attached to Comerica Tower.

You don’t have to take this route; it was just easier to write it out like this. Start at the Compuware Building or the Guardian Building, it doesn’t matter. You can go full circle from wherever you start.

Visit the GM Showroom in the RenCen on your lunch hour or stop at Pure Detroit in the Guardian Building for some shopping. So many choices!

If you have a coffee at the Rowland Café, look around you. Besides the glorious banking hall of the Guardian Building, you might just see Mark Nickita who was the inspiration for this post. Hat tip to Matt Dibble for connecting us.