GRAND RAPIDS – The New Michigan State University Grand Rapids Research
Center will create 728 jobs, provide $55 million annually in wages and bring
$95.6 million in economic impact to Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties.
So says an economic impact study done for Clark Construction Company and
Rockford Construction by the Anderson Economic Group.
“We appreciate the significant investment Michigan State has made in Grand
Rapids and the impact it is making on our community’s businesses,” said Michael
VanGessel, CEO of Rockford Construction. “In fact, 85 percent of construction
labor for this research facility is local, which highlights our subcontractors’
ability to complete complex and sophisticated projects. We’re all looking
forward to the completion of the research center, as well as the future growth
of MSU’s innovation park in the heart of our city.”
Economic impact was based on the research center alone – and not any
potential commercial or residential uses of the remaining parcels. Once the
center is operating at full capacity in fiscal year 2029, the economic impact
is estimated to be $28 million per year supporting more than 400 jobs,
including as many as 44 principal investigators and their research teams.
“The AEG study told us that the new research center will contribute
significantly to building a biomedical research hub in the Grand Rapids area,”
said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. “Our research center builds upon the
biomedical and clinical research talent at Spectrum Health, Van Andel
Institute, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s and Grand Valley State University – all
attractive to spin-off businesses in the life sciences and growth in the
biotechnology sectors.”
The construction site for the new research center is located at the corner
of Michigan Street and Monroe Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids. Construction
completion is planned for late 2017.
Core research of the center will include Parkinsons disease, Alzheimer’s
disease, pediatric neurology, autism, inflammation, transplantation, genetics,
women’s health and reproduction, and skin cancer – with the vision of helping
people live longer and better, and improving the health of the Grand Rapids
community and beyond.
For more information, visit humanmedicine.msu.edu.
