“This is workspace unlike anything (Jackson National Life Insurance Company) has created before,” Brown said. “This is going to be a very open, very flexible workspace that we think is going to be very comfortable for students.”

Applications will be available online in late August.

Construction inside the space began four weeks ago. Although brown paper bags cover the windows this week, a look inside the building weeks ago revealed that the escalators have been removed.

Much to the delight of East Lansing Mayor Diane Goddeeris, Jackson National fills a large gap in the downtown area that has been vacant since Barnes & Noble went out of business in December 2011.

“When we (have) a business of their caliber coming here … it’s a really good thing for all of us,” Goddeeris said. “It’s a way for us to network with MSU and bring some of their graduates into our downtown to have students working there.”

East Lansing City Manager George Lahanas said the insurance company encourages mixed use in the downtown area — a goal for future development.

“It fits in really well,” Lahanas said. “You have people coming downtown during the daytime hours to park to come down to work, and when they are coming and going, they are stopping at the restaurant next door or going to the pharmacy.”