Corewell Health has announced conceptual plans to expand its Butterworth Hospital campus in Grand Rapids, a project aimed at increasing access to care as demand for health services continues to grow in West Michigan.
The proposed expansion would add a new 621,000-square-foot facility featuring a new emergency department, 180 private inpatient beds, and between 12 and 16 additional operating rooms. The project would be located at 230 Michigan Street and 330 Barclay Avenue, where existing Corewell Health buildings now stand. Services housed in those aging facilities would be relocated prior to their planned demolition.
Corewell Health officials say the proposal is driven by sustained growth in the Grand Rapids area and high patient volumes at Butterworth Hospital. Over the past year, the hospital’s average patient census has remained above 90 percent, a trend the health system expects to continue as the region’s population grows and ages.
“As our community grows and ages, the need for medical care is steadily increasing and we want to make sure we are providing the best care for our neighbors throughout the region,” said Dr. Josh Kooistra, president of Corewell Health in West Michigan. “We are investing in Grand Rapids’ future.”
Plans for the new facility appear focused on modernization, including larger, more comfortable private patient rooms designed to accommodate advanced medical technology. The expansion would eliminate older semi-private rooms and is also expected to include a multi-place hyperbaric chamber and additional overflow beds to improve capacity during high-demand periods.
Corewell Health stressed that the project remains in the early planning stages, with many details still to be finalized. Dr. Kooistra said the health system will work closely with community members, neighboring property owners, and city officials throughout the process before seeking final approval from its board of directors.
If approved, construction would be targeted for completion by the end of 2030.
