by Ramona Watson of Flint Beat September 13, 2024 Updated September 18, 2024

Flint, MI – Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine is in the final stretch of completing the newest addition to its downtown Flint campus — a three-story building to expand public health efforts within the Flint community.  

The development is part of a $31.8 million project launched in late 2012 to establish a health, education, and wellness district in downtown Flint.

The newest addition to this emerging hub, located at the intersection of Harrison and E. Second Street, is being funded with $3.4 million in state funds along with more than $16 million in grant money awarded by the Mott Foundation.

The new MSU building, constructed by Uptown Reinvestment Corporation, will be 40,000 square feet and provide extra room for offices, research, and instruction. 

“I think that one of the reasons the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation was willing to support this grant, just like the support that they’ve given all over the community, is that this work benefits members of the community,” said Dr. Aron Sousa, Dean of the Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine.

Sousa said the community’s interest in healthy behaviors, behavioral health and chronic disease is the inspiration behind a lot of the work at the college, and in turn, MSU has committed to hiring faculty who work on solutions. 

“Our whole point is to be responsive and good collaborators and colleagues with the people in Flint,” said Sousa. 

Sousa also highlighted the potential increase in economic development as their efforts for expansion continue.

“Since our expansion…between 150 and 200 jobs in the community, and then with this expansion, we will be hiring 18 new principal investigator faculty, each of whom will develop programs with five or six additional staff and faculty. So we expect to add at least another 100 jobs through MSU,” Sousa said.

In addition, Sousa pointed to an estimated 30 existing community members who are supported by their grants even though they work for other organizations. 

“The expansion and the success is really built on the intelligence, dedication, and hard work of the people of Flint who collaborate with us. They are our colleagues, and we appreciate their expertise and everything they do to help other people in Flint, but also then that gets applied to other parts of the state and the country. There are a lot of innovations that have come out of the work of the people of Flint. And I think that’s wonderful,” said Sousa.

The construction of the new space is expected to wrap up in May 2025.