GRAND RAPIDS - Eight years ago, the Van Andel Institute opened and became the founding tenant of what's called "Hospital Hill," "Health Hill" or even "Pill Hill" - a formal name hasn't been established. The collection of medical, educational and research buildings along a steep hill on Michigan Street on the edge of the downtown area is currently undergoing about $1 billion in construction activity, spread among several projects.

One of those projects is the Van Andel Phase II Expansion, an eight-story, $170 million project that will create more room for the cancer research at the existing 162,000 square-foot center. The expansion, at 240,000 square feet, will triple the institute's laboratory space, and allow them to broaden their research focus to include neurological disorders and chronic illnesses.

"We're expanding our work to include vital research into Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases. And we're stepping up efforts to translate research findings into therapies that will treat and even prevent disease," said Van Andel Research Institute Director George Vande Woude.

The institute currently employs 800 researchers and administrative staff, and the addition will allow for about 550 additional jobs.

Hunt Construction Corp. and Owens Ames Kimball are leading the construction team. The addition, scheduled for completion late next year, is located west of the existing facility fronting North Division Ave. and bordering Crescent Street.

"Phase II is a continuation of our vision to have an impact locally on education, regionally on the economy and internationally on life sciences," said Chairman & CEO David Van Andel. He said during the groundbreaking last year: "The landscape on Michigan Hill looked a little different 10 years ago. My father looked at that landscape and imagined a thriving center for biomedical research, health care and the life science industry. That vision was possible only because he also saw a community willing to embrace new ideas."

Some of the other recent investments on the hill include Michigan State University's $70 million medical school, the $78 million Michigan Street Development, the $100 million Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion, the $90 million Secchia Center expansion, and the $250 million Helen DeVos Children's Hospital by Spectrum Health.

A New York Times article on the project called the 1.2 million square-feet of new or recent construction "a stunning array of buildings," and citing construction executives, said "just a handful of similar medical development projects rival Health Hill in scope and cost."

REINFORCING ROD on a column that will contain elevators and support the Van Andel Institute addition is installed by the rodbusting team of Adam Moore, Noland Yost, Larry Gilbert, Dave Elzinga and foreman John Dobrowski. All are Iron Workers Local 340 members working for Bee Steel.

THE VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE'S $170 million expansion project will create more room for their cancer research.