MSU: Biomedical research facility to GR
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EmailMichigan State University’s president announced Thursday that the university plans to develop an area of downtown Grand Rapids into a biomedical research facility.
Published: September 5, 2013
By: Wood TV
Facility will be located at old GR Press building
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Michigan State University’s president announced Thursday that the university plans to develop an area of downtown Grand Rapids into a biomedical research facility.
President Lou Anna K. Simon said more than 30 students and faculty from MSU’s Land Policy Institute [and the] School of Planning, Design and Construction will be conducting research in Grand Rapids in the coming weeks, following the launch of the first phase of the research facility project.
In January 2012, the university purchased 7.85 acres of land near the school’s Secchia Center on Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile, part of which houses the former Grand Rapids Press building.
"We were pleased to acquire the downtown properties last year to accommodate the demands of our growing medical research program," Simon said in a release. "We are excited as we take this next step with students, researchers and faculty engaging with local leaders and community partners to develop a model biosciences corridor in Grand Rapids."
The research team will be working to define how the university, along with the community, can become a center for biomedical research, clinical studies and education, the release said.
By the end of the year, the research team will give a report to MSU’s Board of Trustees. Following the review of that report, funding and upcoming phases of the project will go into development.
Eventually, university officials say, the Press building will be replaced, but they haven't yet decided with what or whether it will be a high rise.
"We need to make sure it works for everybody in the neighborhood," Simon said at a Thursday afternoon press conference.
A more clear plan for the development should be available in December.
During her announcement, Simon said something that will again bring up the question of whether or not the downtown U.S. Postal Service office near the corner of Michigan Street NW and Monroe Avenue will soon be moved out and repurposed. The post office sits on prime riverfront real estate and has been the subject rumors for years.
"There are neighboring properties, one of which became available with the post office site, since we purchased the Press property," Simon said.
The post office has denied that it's considering a move, but many have questioned whether or not there's dealings happening behind the scenes.
"We're not necessarily going to buy anything else," Simon said in response to follow-up questions. "It's an interesting question about what will happen to the post office property. Because when we bought the Press site, that was not available."
Late Thursday afternoon, MSU went on the record saying that the president "misspoke."
Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell also confirmed that he had not gotten information that the post office building was up for sale or had been sold. He says developers have approached the post office in the past, but USPS has always declined the opportunity to sell the building.
http://www.woodtv.com/news/local/grand-rapids/msu-biomedical-research-facility-to-gr
