The city council’s development partner, Genr8, has signed up the contractor to build the first phase of the project in Hanley.
This includes a 100,000 sq ft office building and library, which will be occupied by the council as the anchor tenant.
The site has already been cleared under an earlier enabling works contract and building should get underway in the summer.
The new council offices will be clad in a kaleidoscope-style of curtain walling with the second building designed with more traditional blue brick cladding.
The two buildings form part of a bigger development plan to deliver 1.2m sq ft over the next 10 years, consisting of a mix of office, retail and hotel space.