TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - In February, our Building Tallahassee series looked at development at Florida State University with new residence halls for the fall semester.
The fall semester starts in August -- and Azalea and Magnolia halls are just about ready.
"It gives lots of spaces for them to be able to hang out, get to know each other, work together on academic projects," said Shannon Staten, the executive director of FSU Housing.
The development is a phase that's taken 10 years to complete. The university is in the process of updating student living across campus.
"We tried to develop space that felt like home and felt like community," Staten said.
The two new residence halls will serve 900 students. While more and more student housing options are popping up off-campus, the university says it offers something special for students.
"They can live in very nice, updated space that's beautiful, that feels like home, and get up and walk out the door and be 10 minutes from a class," said Staten.
A special feature of Azalea Hall is a stretch of dining options collectively called "1851" open to students and the public.
"It'll add a buzz to the residence hall," said Staten. "We made the lobby areas and some of the workspace areas and study rooms looking down onto that dining space, so that students feel connected."
Azalea Hall has been open since late June, and Magnolia Hall will be ready before students start moving in at the end of August.
