Grand Valley secures property for health campus expansion

Grand Valley's Board of Trustees approved a property exchange and purchase in downtown Grand Rapids to enable the university to expand its growing programs in nursing and health professions. 

The approval came at a special board meeting held December 9 to consider the property deal with Spectrum Health. Grand Valley is trading its parking lot on Lafayette Avenue for a Spectrum Health parking lot located next to the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences on Michigan Street.

Grand Valley’s Lafayette lot is slightly less than an acre (.88 acres) and is located within the Heritage Hill neighborhood. Spectrum Health’s parking lot is 1.4 acres located on Michigan Street, providing more options for Grand Valley for future expansion on the site.

In addition to the swap of land, Grand Valley will pay Spectrum Health $1.85 million in recognition of the differences in size, location and appraised value of each parcel.

“This is a smart strategic move for the university’s future,” Board of Trustee Chair David Hooker said. “Acquiring this property puts Grand Valley in a strong position to continue to educate the health care workers we need now and in the future.”

President Thomas J. Haas said this transaction is part of the university’s vision to serve students and the region.

“Grand Valley is the region’s number one provider of health care professionals and we have a mission to continue our leadership role,” Haas said. “This property deal is a key part in our plan to expand our Center for Health Sciences building on Michigan and admit more students to our high-demand programs. The action by our board allows us to move to the next level in planning for additional classrooms and laboratories downtown.”

Grand Valley has submitted the project to state policy makers and the Legislature for review. It, along with other projects, has been advanced by the Joint Capital Outlay subcommittee for planning authority; approval by the House and Senate is also required.

The university also owns property on the north side of the I-196 expressway, which is planned for additional health campus expansion over the next 25 years.