New wood-fired sauna retreat opens on Detroit's east side

Islandview Sauna Club transforms 4.5 acres along an old rail corridor into an outdoor wellness destination.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A new 4.5-acre outdoor sauna retreat called Islandview Sauna Club has opened on Detroit's east side, tapping into a nationwide sauna trend and transforming an industrial pocket of the Islandview neighborhood into an accessible gathering space. The project was originally envisioned as a larger hospitality development, but the co-owners pivoted to focus on handcrafted, wood-burning saunas after discovering them at a Minneapolis event.

Why it matters

The Islandview Sauna Club project taps into a growing interest in saunas and outdoor wellness experiences, while also turning an underutilized industrial area of Detroit into a community gathering space that is "accessible to everybody."

The details

Islandview Sauna Club features three wood-fired saunas that can reach temperatures between 160 and 220 degrees, as well as a cold plunge pool. Guests are encouraged to rotate between the sauna and cooling off outdoors or in the plunge pool. The outdoor experience is intentionally elemental, with wood smoke, a bonfire, and people lingering in camp chairs between sauna sessions. The site runs along an old rail corridor that has naturally reforested, creating a green swath through an industrial stretch of the city.

  • Islandview Sauna Club opened in February 2026.

The players

Jacques Driscoll

Co-owner of Islandview Sauna Club.

Tamas von Staden

Royal Oak-based architect who partnered on the Islandview Sauna Club project.

Islandview Sauna Club

A new 4.5-acre outdoor sauna retreat that has opened on Detroit's east side.

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What they’re saying

“We unexpectedly bought these saunas.”

— Jacques Driscoll, Co-owner (Axios)

“If you're cold, you can always get in a container that's somewhere between 180 and 220 degrees.”

— Jacques Driscoll, Co-owner (Axios)

“I really like the idea of Islandview being this neighborhood where culture is turned inside out and it's accessible to everybody.”

— Tamas von Staden, Architect (Axios)

What’s next

Future plans for Islandview Sauna Club could include adding cabins or A-frame lodging, a food component, and outdoor programming, which would be built gradually over the next 5 to 10 years.

The takeaway

Islandview Sauna Club is tapping into the growing nationwide interest in saunas and outdoor wellness experiences, while also transforming an underutilized industrial area of Detroit into an accessible community gathering space that celebrates the city's natural assets.