Would Google Health be a good partner/tenant for Health Hill/VAI/MSU?

[GRDadof3]

For some of you who were either members or lurkers here back in 2005, suspicions that Google had checked out Grand Rapids for a new office (at the time that Ann Arbor and Boston were in contention), seem to be confirmed in this article:

http://www.siteselection.com/ssinsider/pwatch/pw060731.htm

(2nd section under Google grappling with growth)

Google, however, reportedly began looking at locations outside the Silicon Valley in early 2005. In addition to Ann Arbor, the company was said to be considering Boston; Boulder, Colo.; and Phoenix. Commercial real estate executives in

Grand Rapids

reported that Google also evinced some interest in that Michigan city.

Keep in mind that Larry Page (Google co-founder) is a UofM Grad, lived in East Lansing for many years, and his Father was a computer science Prof at Michigan State.

Google has been mounting efforts to expand into the healthcare industry, from providing search engine consumer-oriented services similar to WebMD, streamlining and safe-guarding patient record-keeping, to cataloging bioinformatics and mapping of DNA.

http://www.shore.com/commentary/weblogs/20...ealth-with.html

http://e-caremanagement.com/connecting-the...eneration-phrs/

http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-08-14-n43.html

http://www.ehealthnews.eu/content/view/689/26/

So would Google as a partner to Health Hill/VAI/MSU's Med School be a good fit?

In Grand Rapids' growing life sciences industry, we already have:

XB Transmed's new software platform for clinical trials

ClinXus's network for clinical trials

The new Center for Molecular Medicine

The West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative SmartZones

Plus the unique partnership that will be provided by MSU, VAI, Spectrum, St. Mary's, GVSU and GRCC, it would give Google a relative hotbed of talent to work with. Even a small presence would add considerable noteriety to Grand Rapids' fledgling life-sciences industry. In essence, having Google as a partner on Health Hill would be HUGE, and I think would draw a lot of other companies to the area.

Time to start an email campaign again?

http://www.google.com/support/contact/bin/...dpg=1&hl=en

[Yankee Fan]

I do not think that "partner" is a good way to describe a Google presence on Pill Hill. I think that they would be a great "addition." So would many other companies. What I would see as a big deal is if a couple of established bio-tech companies relocated their headquarters to the Hill. Obviously, any presence is a good thing. But if a company made the commitment of their headquarters to the area as opposed to "opening a satellite office," I think that is really the next thing that I hope to see to continue the progress.

[GRDadof3]

I do not think that "partner" is a good way to describe a Google presence on Pill Hill. I think that they would be a great "addition." So would many other companies. What I would see as a big deal is if a couple of established bio-tech companies relocated their headquarters to the Hill. Obviously, any presence is a good thing. But if a company made the commitment of their headquarters to the area as opposed to "opening a satellite office," I think that is really the next thing that I hope to see to continue the progress.

[GRDadof3]

Time to start an email campaign again?

http://www.google.com/support/contact/bin/...dpg=1&hl=en

[blueradon]

I think any company willing to help out with our medical advances is a great asset whether or not it's a big company name or a smaller one.

I read Knape's blog about the companies that are now in downtown - and I guess I never myself realized how many there are out there that could make such a HUGE impact on GR if they relocated downtown. Not only would we have a better presence as a town - but in development terms we could be also looking at a much better skyline and getting some infill.

Monroe North - Grandville/Market Ave - Fill 'er up!