Everyone has a favorite secret spot, but few are eager to share. For this year’s City Guide, we took on the challenge. Along with revealing a few of our own picks, we gathered recommendations from contributing writers, tour guides, and other insiders. And while logging in thousands of steps, we peeked behind closed doors and over balconies, and we ventured inside two completely off-the-grid locations that safeguard some of Detroit’s most precious artifacts.
“It’s not for everyone; just put it that way.” That’s how Paolo Fabbri describes the job of a high-rise window-cleaning technician in Detroit.
In 1945, Paolo’s grandfather, Emilio, established Aaro Window Cleaning. He passed down the business to Paolo’s father, Tom. Then, in 2016, Paolo founded a new subsidiary, Detroit Aerial, to service high-rises.
Today, Detroit Aerial, headquartered in Warren, handles some of Detroit’s tallest and most iconic buildings, including the Ally Detroit building, the Book Tower, and The Stott.
“They’re beautiful, historic buildings,” Paolo says. “[Being able to] say that we help maintain them, we take great pride in that.”
The team is divided into two subsets: the ground crew and the high-rise crew. When it’s windy or rainy, the high-rise crew members get reassigned to lower-level duties. And in that case, Paolo says, at least one of them typically asks for the day off.
“The day goes by too slow, you know?” says Paolo. “They like that fear factor. They chase the adrenaline rush, I guess you could say.”
On a standard day, the crews begin working as early as 4:30 a.m. and wrap up by 11:30 a.m. to stay ahead of sunny and windy conditions. “It starts off dark, and as the sun comes up, it hits off all the buildings, and a lot of the buildings downtown have their special lights on top, especially during Lions football season or Tigers playoffs,” says Paolo. “The views are amazing.”
More of Hour Detroit‘s “Hidden Detroit”
Things You May Have Missed at the Detroit Institute of ArtsSports, Hats, Scenic Spots, and ArtifactsConnecting with Old Detroit and Its Boozy PastUnder the Radar RetailRyan Patrick Hooper’s Favorite Food & Drink SpotsThe Guardian BuildingThe Artifact Collection of the Detroit Historical SocietyHenry Ford Museum’s Artifact CollectionFishing for Secrets at the Fisher BuildingPark West Museum in SouthfieldArt Galleries You May Have OverlookedPlaces to See the City from a Bird’s-eye View
This story originally appeared in the April 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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