SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. – The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus' inaugural student center and residence hall is nearing completion.

Construction started in March 2023 and the building is set to open in August, in time for the fall semester.

According to university officials, as many as 200 students will be able to live on campus.

School officials provided an update on construction Monday. Officials said the structure’s windows have been installed and elevators and drywall work is set to begin.

The six-story, 100,000-square-foot complex will include suites and apartment-style residences, a ballroom, bookstore, dining facilities, study lounges and meeting rooms, as well as offices for student government and other organizations.

USF has begun accepting applications from current students who want to live in the new residence hall.

“I'm excited to be here all the time with my friends on campus," said Isabelle Sorensen, a full-time junior that applied to live in the upcoming building. "The biggest thing that makes me want to live on campus is getting the vibe it would have been at Tampa but with a small size here."

She, along with other students and staff, toured the unfinished building Monday.

“I'm still living at home, which is outstanding, amazing, and I love it. But... living with my friends and other students would be really awesome,” said Sorensen. “I'm just really excited to be on campus and have all the fun new stuff here all the time. It would be awesome.”

For more information, contact USF Sarasota-Manatee student housing.