First glimpse inside futuristic £11m Walsall Hub
It is a multi-million complex which will support budding entrepreneurs and sport and fitness fans all under one roof.
This is the first peek inside the £11m Business and Sports Hub being built in Walsall.
Work on the three-storey block at Walsall College started last summer and is due to be completed in September.
The main external facade of the building which dominates what was once a largely vacant site is in place, including signs for the college.
Work is now pushing ahead with work starting on the fit-out of the block, which will include state-of-the-art facilities for businesses, the public and its students.
The futuristic, 39,000sqft development sits next to the college's main Wisemore campus on Littleton Street West.
It will include space for start-up businesses, conference and event facilities, an outdoor area, a multi-purpose sports hall.
There will also be dance and fitness studios, gym, spa, sports training and injury clinic and a 40-seat bistro restaurant.
Acoustic treated building blocks have been installed in the ground floor sports hall which will be used to teach a range of sports and acts an events space for up to 600 people.
On the first floor, the gym will be fitted with over £100,000 worth of fitness equipment, including cardiovascular training machines and free weights.
The same level will have conferencing rooms including a suite of modern IT systems for corporate training and support businesses to train their staff. The top floor will feature business start-up units to help entrepreneurs develop their companies.
Flexible membership options will be available where members can access high-speed broadband, on-site business support and mentoring, meeting space and the latest training opportunities.
The sports and business centre fits in with the £400m Gigaport project which aims to regenerate the heart of the borough.
The long-term ambition is to create business and office development along the ring-road corridor. Walsall College principal and chief executive Jatinder Sharma said: "We are delighted with how the development is progressing.
"The design of the new Hub complements our Wisemore Campus and facilities, as well as the other developments along the Gigaport corridor, making Walsall an attractive place to live, work and do business.
"Our vision for The Hub has always been for it to be embedded into, and bring many benefits, to the local community.
"This is now becoming a reality as we've created a venue where the business community and budding entrepreneurs will be able to take advantage of incubation facilities and training programmes and the wider community will have greater opportunities to get involved in sport and physical activity.
"We look forward to welcoming the whole community into The Hub once we open our doors in September, to have a look around and use our outstanding facilities.
"For progressing students and new students enrolling at the college over the summer, the development will offer fantastic facilities and great opportunities to excel their learning." When the plans were approved bosses said 180 apprentices a year and up to 120 jobs would be created in construction of the campus.
It comes as work on the neighbouring Jhoots is also forging ahead and is also due to open within months.
The separate £3.2m base, which will sit nearby at the junction of Hatherton Street has also been under construction since last summer. The 20,000 sq ft four-storey offices will create more than 30 new jobs and is being built by Cannock-based Jessup.
