FORT MYERS, Fla.- Edison State College students will soon have the option of living on campus, and the college's first ever residence hall is a far cry from a dingy dorm room.

"It's not the residence hall you're used to living in. These have beautiful kitchens and bathrooms and washers and dryers," Dr. Amy Teprovich, Edison State's Director of Student Life, said Tuesday.

Construction crews have been hard at work building LightHouse Commons on the Fort Myers campus since April. The 164,000 square foot residence hall boasts 400 beds, and was designed with the help of students.

"We've had so many students come into our office and ask us how housing is going, what the prices are," Edison State Student Government President Crystal Perez said Tuesday.

Individual units are modeled more like apartments than dorms, with two different floor plans to choose from.

High school seniors and cousins Jennifer Larry and Brianna Matthews are already excited to move in.

"You get to experience more college life, since you're right here on campus. You don't have to drive hours just to get to school. You're right there, you get to walk to wherever you need to on campus," Matthews said.

Edison State says the $26-million construction project is on schedule, with students set to file in right in time for the fall semester.

"It's changing us. It's changing the scope of the students we serve. We'll be able to attract more students from all parts of Florida," Teprovich said.

Edison State is now accepting housing applications from current students. The process will open for prospective students on February 1st.

For more information, visit http://housing.edison.edu/ or call 1-800-749-2322.