Real Estate and Capital Planning

Since its founding in 1855, MSU has operated from its main campus in East Lansing, which now comprises about 5,300 acres and 564 buildings totaling 25 million square feet. But the university has grown far beyond its roots in East Lansing with significant properties and operations in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Flint. 

In total, the university owns more than 26,000 acres in more than 20 counties, such as the 5,760-acre Dunbar Forest in Chippewa County and the 3,900-acre Kellogg Biological Station in Kalamazoo County. It also runs the Grand Rapids Innovation Park, a health care innovation hub that features multiple research buildings and is home to the MSU College of Human Medicine headquarters.

To better focus the university’s approach to land acquisition and development, as well as lead a strategic approach toward real estate endeavors, and expansion and development opportunities, IPF formed the Office of Real Estate and Capital Planning, which is made up of these departments:

• Planning, Design and Construction, which plans and manages major capital construction projects
• Real Estate Operations, formerly called the Land Management Office, which leads real estate and leasing operations, and property management for multiple off-campus locations
• Campus Planning, which guides campus land use consistent with the university's land use plan
• Capital Renewal, which oversees how IPF identifies and prioritizes infrastructure maintenance projects