A £5.1 million restoration of a landmark Grade II listed building has been given the seal of approval by Regeneration Minister and former Birmingham MP Lord Rooker.
The Bordesley Centre in Stratford Road, Camp Hill, dates back to the 1850s and was, until 1958, King Edwards' Camp Hill Grammar School.
The building was saved from dereliction by the Muath Trust and a project funded by Advantage West Midlands and the Government Office for the West Midlands is currently underway which will provide skills training and community and recreational facilities for hundreds of people in Sparkbrook, Small Heath, Sparkhill and Saltley.
Sapcote were awarded the contract for the restoration which started in December 2003 and is scheduled for completion in the summer.
Mr Rooker visited the centre as part of a tour of projects in the East Birmingham North Solihull Regeneration Zone organised by AWM.
He said: "This has been a real eye-opener for me - while I obviously know Birmingham very well it is astonishing to see the work that is going on.
"This is an absolutely fantastic building - the main assembly room is a fantastic piece of architecture and a superb job is being done on restore it to its former glory."
Rosie Paskins, director for Birmingham and Solihull at Advantage West Midlands, said: "This is a shining example of how Advantage West Midlands and the East Birmingham and North Solihull Regeneration Zone are working together.
"More than £30 million will be spent in the Regeneration Zone over the next two years."
Andrew Clutterbuck, vice chairman of the Regeneration Zone, said: "All of these projects will make real differences to local residents."
