According to Timothy Slottow, EVP and CFO of the university, thenew facility will support additional clinical space for medicalschool training programs and clinical trials, expand its healthsystem into a critical market with diagnostics and specialty carefor the referral of complex cases, and demonstrate a long-termpresence and commitment to patients in the market. Future expansionmay include existing primary care services and inpatient or otherhospital-based services, Slottow said in a letter to the Regents.The college is paying for the land by increasing the commercialpaper issuance under the commercial paper program, secured by apledge of general revenues, he said in the letter. A universityspokeswoman reportedly said that the college does not yet have atimetable for the construction. She did not return a call forcomment on the cost and size of the planned facility.

Steve Morris, executive managing director and principal withNewmark Knight Frank's Detroit office, represented the universityin the transaction. He said in a statement that the purchase is anexample of the continued growth, northwest of Detroit, ofhealthcare providers, which ties into the westward move ofresidential growth in the area. Brighton, along Interstate-96, isstill on the outskirts of growth for Detroit.