Grand River Growth Plan -All Gibbs for City Jan 2 2026 - Flipbook - Page 66
Summary
The growth of the office market in Farmington Hills will be driven by two distinct factors.
First, the city’s high-income demographics and well-educated population have attracted entrepreneurs
and executives who may prefer to live and work in the same community, boosting demand for local
office facilities. As these business owners seek more convenient commutes, they may relocate to the
south Grand River study area.
Second, Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital, a 330-bed teaching facility with Level II trauma status
care and a new birthing center, represents a major driver for office development in the south Grand
River area. Corwell employs 1,400 total staff members on a 30-acre campus located northwest of Grand
River Avenue and Eight Mile Roads.
Corwell’s Farmington location includes 40,000 sf of medical office space, a 35,000 sf cancer center and
60,000 sf administrative staff buildings. Corwell’s Grand River medical center provided 57,000 patient
days and 10,800 total discharges in 2024.
Figure 2: The health and wellness sectors employ 5,500 workers, 75% of the south Grand River total workforce. Retail trade businesses
employ 20%, 1,500 of the Grand River area’s labor force. Left, Corwell Medical Center, Right, West River shopping center corridors
two largest employers.
Healthcare professionals, ancillary businesses and specialized service providers often prefer proximity to
major hospitals, driving demand for nearby office space. This synergy nurtures a localized medical ecosystem, spurring both new construction and renovations for physician groups and related services.
Like other major medical campuses across the country, Corewell Health’s presence often sparks new
investment for complementary businesses—from medical research to administrative support. As these
stakeholders grow, they require modern, well-located offices designed for the healthcare industry’s
needs. Ultimately, Corewell Health’s continued expansion will strengthen the local office market and
attract additional healthcare-focused investments to the Grand River area.
As the Farmington corridor grows and Corewell Health continues to expand, the area’s office market
potential could exceed current projections by attracting additional businesses and office space users. In
other words, the total amount of supportable new office space may be larger than the 50,000 to 75,000
sf of new office projected by this analysis.
Grand River Corridor Office Market Analysis
Gibbs Planning Group
July 2, 2025
2.
