Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has embarked on an effort to relocate 97 percent of its workers to Michigan’s urban areas, leading to more than $200 million in economic benefits and the creation of hundreds of new Michigan jobs.
In Lansing, BCBSM’s subsidiary, Accident Fund of Michigan, constructed its new national headquarters in a renovated power plant and newly-constructed annex building along the Grand River downtown. The venture is being carried out alongside the company’s migration of approximately 3,000 employees into downtown Detroit’s Renaissance Center, and the renovation of the Steketee’s department store in downtown Grand Rapids into the headquarters of BCBSM’s West Michigan Operations.
“What we’re focused on right now is the health of Michigan,” said Tricia Keith, BCBSM’s Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Services. “For us, that’s not just physical health; it’s about the health of communities, the health of cities, and the health of the business economy. We were able to take action to help support that.”
Keith said the new Lansing facility, located in the 73-year-old former Ottawa Street Power Station building, engaged 116 Michigan vendors and partners during the construction/renovation period. Additionally, 569 new full-time jobs were created in Lansing, along with 489 jobs of one-year duration.
What’s more, economists estimate the investment by Blue Cross in Lansing alone will bring in $3.3 million in new tax revenue to local governments.
The Lansing project, which utilized sustainable building techniques and involved environmental cleanup along the riverfront, historical preservation work, and substantial cooperation between public and private entities, has been called “transformational” by local officials.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit organization, provides and administers health benefits to nearly 4.4 million members residing in Michigan in addition to members of Michigan-headquartered groups who reside outside the state. BCBSM also offers dental, vision and hearing plans. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com