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More room for research at Van Andel Institute

Date Posted: May 22 2009

GRAND RAPIDS – More room and support for the life sciences is on the way in this city’s burgeoning medical corridor, in the ongoing eight-story, Phase II expansion of the Van Andel Institute.

Building upon the construction of the original research facility in 2000, the $170 million, 240,000 square-foot expansion will triple laboratory space for expanded basic and translational disease research and allow for the creation of a new Parkinson’s Disease research lab.

Completion of the building in December will create a total of 402,000 square-feet of space, and create the capacity for 500 new jobs. The addition is directly to the west of the existing facility fronting North Division Ave. and bordering Crescent Street

“It’s going well for us,” said Mike Brandner of UA Local 174 and project superintendent for mechanical contractor Andy J. Egan. “This is a research facility, and there’s a lot of different kinds of piping, systems, and medical gas. We have an outstanding crew here, they’re doing some really good work.”

The Phase II design plan mimics the existing building, offering abundant natural light, an open and flexible laboratory layout, as well as a demonstration lab for visitors to view research in progress.

The building will be new home for Van Andel Institute Graduate School, and space will also be utilized by students of the new regional medical school, Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. The expansion will also allow the institute to broaden its research focus to include other neurological disorders and chronic illnesses

Water from a 25,000 gallon rainwater retention basin located in the bowels of the addition will be used to irrigate the building’s green roof.

The building will also have triple-pane insulated glass, photovoltaic panels to provide power, a heat recovery system designed to reclaim heat from equipment and reduce loads on HVAC equipment, as well as low-flow water fixtures.

The expansion at the Van Andel Institute joins the other ongoing or recently completed cluster of construction projects on Grand Rapids’ “Medical Mile.” Included are the Lemmon-Holton Cancer Center, the Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center, Grand Rapids Community College’s Science Center, Grand Valley State University’s Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and the ongoing work at the new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, which we will feature in an upcoming edition.

The expanded Van Andel Institute, said Chief Administrative Officer Steve Heacock, “represents the next stage of development for a strong, robust active life sciences environment in Grand Rapids and West Michigan. The last 10 years have been phenomenal. The next 10 years will make it pale by comparison.”


THE $170 MILLION addition to the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids. The building's profile, "yields a unique image for the institute, one that evokes the Grand Rapids River in its hillside cascade of skylight roofs," according to the institute.


CUTTING A 2-INCH chilled water line at the Van Andel Institute is Chad Abram of UA Local 174, working for Andy J. Egan.


THE BACKING FOR the exterior skin of the Van Andel Institute is installed by Jim Reed of Sheet Metal Workers Local 7, working for Universal Wall.