The University of Michigan Board of Regents authorized a $23 million expansion of the Institute for Social Research to increase the capabilities of the institute’s research facilities.

Timothy Slottow, U-M executive president and chief financial officer, said the expansion would be a four-level addition of approximately 44,700 gross square feet, creating office and research spaces, meeting spaces and secure data storage. The project will also renovate approximately 7,200 gross square feet of the existing building where it will connect to the addition.

Slottow told trustees the researchers at the institute are looking forward to the expansion.

“They’re bursting at the seams and they want to do this fast,” he said.

The Institute for Social Research is the oldest and largest academic survey and social research organization in the world, according to Slottow. The project will enhance the effectiveness of the research being done in the facility by having research programs in one building and providing modern facilities for communicating with research partners around the world, he said.

The project includes architectural, mechanical and electrical work necessary for construction, Slottow said.

The funding for the project is provided by an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 grant from the National Institutes of Health, resources from the Office of the Provost and funds from the Institute for Social Research.

University officials expect the project to be completed in the spring 2013. Regents approved the design of the project at the July 2010 meeting.

Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.