05/11/2026
With a snip of their scissors across a DNA helix-shaped ribbon, co-founder Jay Van Andel and Institute Chairman and CEO David Van Andel ushered in a new era of scientific discovery in Grand Rapids.
Dozens gathered on May 10, 2000, for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Van Andel Institute’s new, Rafael Viñoly-designed building at 333 Bostwick Ave NE. Former President Gerald R. Ford and then-Michigan Gov. John Engler were there, among community leaders and members who were the Institute’s earliest and most ardent supporters.
The ceremony was the culmination of years of planning and construction, and helped launch what is known today as Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile. It was not, however, the end of the road. The building that opened that day was Phase I; seven years later, as the Institute grew at a steady clip, the building began expanding with the construction of Phase II.
