FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Kirk Gibson Foundation celebrated the official grand opening of The Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness, a first-of-its-kind facility in Michigan.
Located at 31440 Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills, the center, which opened on Monday (Oct. 6), provides a supportive community where individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease can access a variety of activity-based and educational programs at no charge.
Construction began in March 2025, transforming a former automotive office building into Michigan’s only standalone wellness center dedicated to Parkinson’s.
The 32,000-square-foot, two-level facility offers distinct programs that focus on movement and cognitive therapy.
The Kirk Gibson Foundation also relocated its headquarters to the center to provide integrated team support.
The renovation was designed by Gensler, a world-renowned architecture and design firm based in Detroit.
Their design incorporates a thoughtful use of color, patterns, and lighting to create accessible, navigable, and spacious environments that support the physical, emotional, and social wellness of individuals living with Parkinson’s.
Strategically located within a 30-minute drive of 70% of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, the center serves an estimated 8,000 people with Parkinson’s in the Metro Detroit area.
It expects up to 70,000 visits annually and will offer about 75 hours of weekly programming in its first full month of operation.
Since announcing the center’s opening in 2024, demand has exceeded expectations. Nearly 900 individuals have registered, with over 300 members onboarded and more than 200 actively participating in classes.
This response confirmed Gibson’s vision of a place where members not only access resources but also build a supportive culture and community.
Guided by the “Movement Matters” concept, the barrier-free interior features a large gathering hall with a 360-degree oval walk/run track, a gym for strength and cardio training, a boxing therapy zone, and rooms dedicated to yoga, tai chi, Pilates, dance, and general fitness.
The Center also offers a range of workshops on kitchen safety, nutrition, and wellness therapy programs, including table tennis, ping pong, foosball, speech therapy, music therapy, and art therapy.
Additional spaces include classrooms for fall and winter, as well as workshops on kitchen safety, nutrition, and wellness.
The facility also features private counseling rooms, a community lounge, and specialized amenities, including changing rooms and a kitchen.
The core programming is based on activity-based programs developed by InMotion, a Cleveland-based leader in evidence-based Parkinson’s programs.
Leveraging over 10 years of experience, InMotion helped develop the Center’s programs, systems, and culture.
The center will also collaborate with the Michigan Parkinson Foundation (MPF), which has provided care, support, and education in Michigan for over 40 years.
Together, they will offer PD101 classes, late-stage Parkinson’s programs, wellness workshops, book clubs, support groups, and more for people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.
The Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness aims to be a national model of collaboration in Parkinson’s care.
One example is its partnership with Planet Fitness, whose EPIC Fitness Group franchise donated cardio and strength equipment, including treadmills, recumbent bikes, resistance machines, and free weights.
Volunteers and donors amplify the Center’s impact, and the Parkinson’s and medical communities, ensuring all programs remain free.
A baseball-themed donor wall honors these contributions, reflecting a community driven by connection, empowerment, and hope.
The Center’s opening was made possible by Kirk Gibson and his foundation’s fundraising efforts, including a lead gift from Mrs. Marian Ilitch and ongoing donations from various sources.
While the grand opening marks a new chapter, the foundation will continue raising funds to expand programming, improve accessibility, and ensure sustainability.