GRAND RAPIDS, MI — New renderings provide a glimpse of the 211,000-square-foot medical innovation building that construction crews are expected to break ground on by Oct. 1 on land adjacent to Michigan State University’s Grand Rapids Research Center.
The project is being undertaken by Health Innovation Partners, a joint venture between Grand Rapids-based Rockford Construction Co. and two Chicago firms — MB Real Estate and Walsh Construction/Walsh Investors.
Located near the corner of Michigan Street NW and Ottawa Avenue, the building will house tenants focused on bringing new medical discoveries to market. Their work is expected to center on areas such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, artificial intelligence and medical device development. The building is expected to be six- to eight-stories tall.
Tenants for the project are expected to be announced this fall. MSU is expected to be one of the tenants.
The building, along with a 600-space parking garage, is expected to open in late 2021.
“We are excited to offer this inside look at the highly-anticipated next phase of the MSU Innovation Park,” Mike Mraz, President of Real Estate Development at Rockford Construction, said in a statement. “The renderings provide a glimpse of our vision for this incredible collaboration. Our future tenants will be at the center of innovation, medical research and development, and we are thrilled to play our part in this great opportunity for future medical advances.”
Rockford and MSU announced plans for the building in December.
A lease agreement between MSU and Rockford also call for another building to be built on the university’s Grand Rapids Research Center property in the future. Mike VanGessel, president and CEO of Rockford Construction, previously told MLive.com that “in an ideal world” construction on that project would start “in the next few years.”
MSU opened its Grand Rapids Research Center, 400 Monroe Ave NW, in September 2017.
The $88 million building, located along Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile, supports scientists who are researching cures and treatments for diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer.
