PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)–The walls are up and progress is being made at the brand new residential housing at FSU Panama City. Seminole Landing sits right next to North Bay and next fall, 380 students from both FSU-PC and Gulf Coast State College will get to call it home. The building is on track to be complete in just 8 short months.

“They’re still on the framing stage so they do have 2 more floors to go, it will be 4 floors. So once they finish that they’ll be able to finish the interior and exterior,” said Leigh Ann Maya, Seminole Landing’s Lease Up Specialist.

So far, all of the one-bedroom units have been leased out. Maya predicts the remaining units won’t last long either.

“Freshmen are waiting on admissions so the second that they do get acceptances, they will be signing leases so it’s going to go quickly,” Maya said.

The Bay Economic Development Alliance says having a dorm option will be a game-changer.

“Recruiting students will be easier because they won’t have to worry about finding apartments or other apartments or housing outside the campus,” said Becca Hardin, the Bay EDA’s Executive Director.

With affordable housing few and far between, the college hopes to alleviate some of the stress new students face.

“That’s kind of been the biggest question, ‘where do I live?’, and yes there are apartments on the beachside or in Lynn Haven but it’s always a 20-minute drive,” Maya said.

Maya says it will also be more cost-effective for students.

“All utilities are included, they come fully furnished so students don’t have to worry about bringing furniture from home,” Maya said.

The $23 million project is a public-private partnership between FSU and Zimmer Development Company and Asset Living.

The college plans on holding a second open house for Seminole Landing this spring and they hope to officially open by August.

https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/construction-on-fsu-pc-dorms-expected-to-be-complete-by-august/