GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A team from Michigan State University on Friday will begin exploring options for a biomedical research facility in Grand Rapids, and it has big goals.

“We’re really looking at conceptualizing a world-class research facility in Grand Rapids that will add more to the existing Medical Mile,” said Vennie Gore, MSU’s vice president for auxiliary enterprises. “We’re very excited about it.”

Thirty faculty and students from MSU’s Land Policy Institute and School of Planning, Design and Construction will conduct research over the next several weeks.

The university's board of trustees in June gave the OK to develop plans for the 7.85 acres MSU bought in Grand Rapids near the College of Human Medicine's Secchia Center.

The land, purchased for $12 million in January 2012, includes the former Grand Rapids Press building at 155 Michigan St. NW and five parking lots.

Lou Anna K. Simon

“We were pleased to acquire the downtown properties last year to accommodate the demands of our growing medical research program,” MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said. “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.”

MSU now has 15 principal investigators, plus its research teams, working in leased space at the Van Andel Institute and Grand Valley State University.

Gore hopes to see 19 to 36 more researchers come to the area eventually.

“I think Dean (Marsha) Rappley and the College of Human Medicine have been building a reputation nationally to attract more and more researchers to the college,” he said.

Vennie Gore

The research already in place at Grand Rapids institutions, the opportunity to collaborate with other scientists, and basic science research at MSU also are a draw, he said.

The faculty and students involved in planning the facility will look at everything from sustainability to planning, zoning and technology, said Scott Witter, who leads the Land Policy Institute and School of Planning, Design and Construction.

“Our team’s role is to look at the community and MSU properties and figure out how we can design a high-class, model facility that satisfies researchers, administrators and community partners,” Witter said.

The team plans to submit a report to trustees by December.

Although it’s early to predict when a research building would be ready, Gore said he would like to see it in place in 2017.

“That’s sort of a time stretch,” he said. “Those buildings are highly technical buildings. They take a lot of planning and thought around the construction of it. We want to make sure we do due diligence.”

Sue Thoms covers health care for MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Email her at sthoms1@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.