MSU Biomedical Research Campus - Phase II

[MJLO]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

I missed this the last time I was on the MIBiz website, but there a lot of interesting bits of information in this article:

https://mibiz.com/item/26165-msu-seeks-to-accelerate-medical-innovations

1.  MSU is creating MSU Health Care, which can partner with private companies much easier than it has in the past- a “1000 deeper dive into supporting medical innovation”.

2. The Research building in GR is a key component. 

3. They are already reviewing RFPs for building surrounding the research center. 

4. It’ll include a business startup incubator that will allow companies to Work alongside university researchers. 

The dean also uses the words “rocket fuel” and “innovation hub”.

I’m speculating that something big may be in the works  

Joe

 

I've had this back of my head theory that one day Spectrum could re-brand itself as the Michigan State University Health System.  It would be pretty big for both entities.  It would be big for Grand Rapids as well.  I think the biomed cluster here would be far more nationally recognized under a name like that.  

[joeDowntown]

I don’t know anything about mergers (that definitely wasn’t what I interpreted from this article). 

I found it interesting that they were forming MSU Health Care to change the way they work with private businesses/startups (there were ownership IP issues before). It also seems like GR may be the epicenter for their “Innovation Hub”/new philosophy. 

I think that definitely could be a big boost to our economy, the type of talent we attract. 

Plus, more buildings.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I don’t know anything about mergers (that definitely wasn’t what I interpreted from this article). 

I found it interesting that they were forming MSU Health Care to change the way they work with private businesses/startups (there were ownership IP issues before). It also seems like GR may be the epicenter for their “Innovation Hub”/new philosophy. 

I think that definitely could be a big boost to our economy, the type of talent we attract. 

Plus, more buildings.

Joe

I like more buildings. We've talked on here for a long time how cool it would be to have a "campus" between MSU's new building and on the other side of I-196. 

[Sparty97]

14 hours ago, MJLO said:

I've had this back of my head theory that one day Spectrum could re-brand itself as the Michigan State University Health System.  It would be pretty big for both entities.  It would be big for Grand Rapids as well.  I think the biomed cluster here would be far more nationally recognized under a name like that.  

The perfect scenario would also include a Sparrow (Lansing's version of Spectrum) and Spectrum merger.  MSU already has strong partnerships with both hospital systems.  A MSU/Spectrum/Sparrow rebrand as Michigan State University Health System would be a powerful entity. 

[GRLaker]

3 hours ago, Sparty97 said:

The perfect scenario would also include a Sparrow (Lansing's version of Spectrum) and Spectrum merger.  MSU already has strong partnerships with both hospital systems.  A MSU/Spectrum/Sparrow rebrand as Michigan State University Health System would be a powerful entity. 

With 20 hospitals between the two, it would easily be the largest healthcare system in Michigan. Also, Sparrow is likely going to merge with someone for financial reasons. This scenario would make the most sense.

[GRDadof3]

16 hours ago, GRLaker said:

With 20 hospitals between the two, it would easily be the largest healthcare system in Michigan. Also, Sparrow is likely going to merge with someone for financial reasons. This scenario would make the most sense.

McClaren has been doing something similar, coming West across the State, haven't they? 

I know they're building a new hospital in Lansing to replace two they have there.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20171204/news/646761/mclaren-to-build-450-million-replacement-hospital-in-lansing

[GRDadof3]

Well @mpchicago your 2019 wish may have come true early. 

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/msu-trustees-approve-phase-two-expansion-of-grand-rapids-research-center

MSU trustees approve phase two expansion of Grand Rapids Research Center

BY SYDNEY SMITHFriday, December 14, 2018 11:42am

 

 

 

 

GRAND RAPIDS — A public-private partnership approved today by the Michigan State University board of trustees will continue development of the downtown Grand Rapids Research Center campus.

After issuing an RFP in July, the board selected developer Health Innovation Partners, a joint venture of Chicago-based MB Real Estate, Chicago-based Walsh Construction/Walsh Investors and Rockford Construction Co. Inc. of Grand Rapids, to lead the project.

The board’s vote authorizes MSU administration to proceed with negotiations on the ground lease and developer agreement.

“MSU continues to expand its footprint and partnerships in downtown Grand Rapids, which supports our research, education efforts and health care expansion,” MSU Interim President John Engler said in a statement. “We look forward to working with more partners and stakeholders in expanding the mission of our great university into West Michigan.”

According to the university, the ground lease will require the developer to construct a new building along Michigan Street on the Grand Rapids Research Center property to provide tenant space for MSU and “other stakeholders” that will support MSU research and health care innovations.

 

[GRDadof3]

Walsh Construction and MBRE out of Chicago are some pretty heavy hitters for this partnership. 

https://www.mbres.com/Portfolio

[Kinkema]

2 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

Walsh Construction and MBRE out of Chicago are some pretty heavy hitters for this partnership. 

https://www.mbres.com/Portfolio

GR should use them to design one of the new riverfront parks.

https://www.mbres.com/Portfolio/maggie-daley-park

[joeDowntown]

This is great news. Welcome to Grand Rapids, MBRE. Show us what you've got!

Joe

[GRDadof3]

15 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

This is great news. Welcome to Grand Rapids, MBRE. Show us what you've got!

Joe

They're talking about breaking ground 4th quarter of 2019, they're going to need to get moving on design. It will be interesting to see how big this goes. I'm going to guess somewhere between 7 - 10 floors, especially if they have to accommodate space for "partners" of MSU as well. 

[mpchicago]

52 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

Well @mpchicago your 2019 wish may have come true early. 

1

Hey!  This is awesome news!   I would think the building fronting Michigan would be at least the same height at the MSU Research center.   It will be interesting who they gather to fill the space.   I also wonder if they will leave a decent gap between the 2 buildings for a nice pocket park. 

[joeDowntown]

Quoting myself from a while back, 

Quote

1.  MSU is creating MSU Health Care, which can partner with private companies much easier than it has in the past- a “1000 deeper dive into supporting medical innovation”.

2. The Research building in GR is a key component. 

3. They are already reviewing RFPs for building surrounding the research center. 

4. It’ll include a business startup incubator that will allow companies to Work alongside university researchers. 

The dean also uses the words “rocket fuel” and “innovation hub”.

I think a decent amount of the building on Michigan (labeled Medical Innovation) will be the incubator / hub and MSU Health Care, which is looking to streamline the way the University works with Private Companies (non-profit Universities have a hard time transferring patent/research information). "MSU seeks to work with innovators without having to control the resulting intellectual property, an issue that leads some entrepreneurs to steer away from seeking academic assistance". It was also mentioned that Spartan Innovations L3C will be part of the project. https://www.spartaninnovations.org/

Mlive has an article about the new building that says it should break ground in late 2019, with an estimated completion date in late 2021.

It'll be interesting to see all that it entails. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

Quoting myself from a while back, 

I think a decent amount of the building on Michigan (labeled Medical Innovation) will be the incubator / hub and MSU Health Care, which is looking to streamline the way the University works with Private Companies (non-profit Universities have a hard time transferring patent/research information). "MSU seeks to work with innovators without having to control the resulting intellectual property, an issue that leads some entrepreneurs to steer away from seeking academic assistance". It was also mentioned that Spartan Innovations L3C will be part of the project. https://www.spartaninnovations.org/

Mlive has an article about the new building that says it should break ground in late 2019, with an estimated completion date in late 2021.

It'll be interesting to see all that it entails. 

Joe

I'm afraid though that if building 2 is primarily an innovation/incubator center, it won't be very big. 

[Guest]

I'm hoping for some height, but not holding my breath.  I think MSU will take the GVSU approach and just build smaller buildings every year instead of using a little foresight, I hope I'm wrong though.

[GRDadof3]

27 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

I'm hoping for some height, but not holding my breath.  I think MSU will take the GVSU approach and just build smaller buildings every year instead of using a little foresight, I hope I'm wrong though.

You're probably right. You don't see a lot of biomedical research towers. Unless it's in a horror movie. 

[Prankster]

Realizing that it will never happen, this would have been a perfect site for a high rise. No neighbors to complain about blocked sunlight, plenty of room for parking to not eat into the current supply, and easy on/easy off expressway access to not add to downtown traffic.  

[GRDadof3]

20 hours ago, mpchicago said:

Hey!  This is awesome news!   I would think the building fronting Michigan would be at least the same height at the MSU Research center.   It will be interesting who they gather to fill the space.   I also wonder if they will leave a decent gap between the 2 buildings for a nice pocket park. 

One of the very early site plans they put out before building 1 was built, it did show a greenspace area between the two. And dotted lines where the tunnel is. I haven't heard much talk about that but hopefully they're able to reopen it. 

It really would be a New Year's miracle if they unveiled plans for both buildings. Each would have a footprint of about 30,000 sf so even at 5 stories each (let's hope taller) it's at least another 300,000 square feet of "employment" space downtown.  I-196 through downtown is going to be "parking ramp row" once GVSU's new ramp goes in too. From College all the way to Bridgewater Place. 

 

 

The more biomedical center architecture I look at, the more I'm hoping for a nice high-quality glass structure.  There are some real dogs out there.

Ellenzweig did both MSU centers, may be a candidate for the next phase. 

HOK

 

[Guest]

I think that now that they own the Quality Auto lot, they will probably use it for future expansion and do something with the tunnel.

[joeDowntown]

I’d love to see something that really makes a statement (of course, I’m sure we’d love to see that with every project downtown). I’ve always thought it would be cool to have something that “leans out” over the expressway offramp to sort of span the gap between the bottom of the hill and the top of the hill. I thought this building (part of MBRE’s portfolio)  was kind of interesting (imagining the highest point stretches east).

 

 

 

[Prankster]

On 12/14/2018 at 1:47 PM, mpchicago said:

Hey!  This is awesome news!   I would think the building fronting Michigan would be at least the same height at the MSU Research center.   It will be interesting who they gather to fill the space.   I also wonder if they will leave a decent gap between the 2 buildings for a nice pocket park. 

The problem I have with park space between buildings is it has a “tower in the park” look, vs a downtown street wall look. Parks are needed for a successful downtown, but not when they become so prevalent that it gives off a suburban feel. 

[GRDadof3]

I actually wouldn't mind a sort of mirror image of the current research center with glass wrapped around the East facade. I bet they connect whatever is built with skywalks.

Edit: on second thought I'd like to see something that compliments building 1 but way more fun. 

[GVSUChris]

"The size of the building has not been finalized, though VanGessel said he expects it to range from 200,000-square-feet to 250,000-square-feet, and it could be seven- to nine-floors high. That’s larger than the MSU research center, which is a six-story, 162,800 square-foot-building."

https://www.mlive.com/news/2018/12/new-research-building-puts-msu-grand-rapids-at-epicenter-of-healthcare-innovation-university-says.html

And from another article: 

According to VanGessel, renderings of potential design concepts exist, but the partners are not yet ready shared them. Still, he said the new building will keep with the design themes of the research center.

“There’s elements of it that will be a sister building of sorts,” he said. “We don’t want it to look out of place, yet we want it to be special.”

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/second-phase-of-msu-s-grand-rapids-research-center-to-help-bring-innovation-to-market

 

Edited December 17, 2018 by GVSUChris

[GR8scott]

7 to 9 stories could look really good there just hope it’s not another 6 story dull block there need to be some contrasting. Also i wonder if some sort of covered bridge over the interchange to connect with the seccia center will be necessary? I hope it would not block out too much of a view of downtown from 196 but the sidewalks in winter can’t be pleasant for the doctors and scientist that have to go back and forth 

[joeDowntown]

5 minutes ago, GR8scott said:

7 to 9 stories could look really good there just hope it’s not another 6 story dull block there need to be some contrasting. Also i wonder if some sort of covered bridge over the interchange to connect with the seccia center will be necessary? I hope it would not block out too much of a view of downtown from 196 but the sidewalks in winter can’t be pleasant for the doctors and scientist that have to go back and forth 

I've thought about a skywalk, but i think the building would have to be pretty tall (and entry would be near the top of the building) and it would be insanely long.

In the MiBiz article, they talk about tenants from MSU, plus companies from Israel, Chicago, and Grand Rapids (including Spectrum Health). Maybe a lot of the space is already accounted for?

Joe