Florida A&M University is moving forward with new student housing developments as enrollment continues to climb and demand for on-campus living increases.
With just under 3,000 beds available for a population of over 9,000 students, university officials say they are prioritizing more residential space to improve both retention and student life.
One of the most recent developments of these projects is known as the “Venom Landing,” a 700-bed residence hall under construction near Osceola Street. The building is expected to open by fall 2025 and will serve as one of the primary housing options for first-year students. Initially, a second 500-bed facility was scheduled to open simultaneously. However, as reported by the Tallahassee Democrat, this timeline has been revised. Construction of the 500-bed hall will commence once funding is secured after the completion of Venom Landing.
As the demand for housing increases, students have started looking ahead in hopes for more access and better residential support.
Akeera Coqmard, a senior health science major, says students will benefit from the ongoing housing solution.
“I think it’ll be much better in the community aspect. You can connect with people that are in your dorms. People are always in the common areas, so it’ll be good for the new freshmen to build those relationships. And if there’s more housing, sophomores and juniors could stay on campus too.”
FAMU administrators have confirmed that housing assignments are made on a tiered system, which prioritizes incoming freshmen, scholarship recipients, student-athletes and students who are part of the living learning communities on campus.
“Freshmen are always the priority,” said William Hudson Jr., vice president of the Office of Student Affairs. “We want our freshmen on campus so they can learn the campus and progress. That first-year retention rate is very important. Then we look at students with disabilities, those who are homeless, and then we go to scholarship students, student-athletes, and finally, returning students on a first-come, first-serve basis.”
In addition to providing beds, the university is planning more integrated living-learning spaces. The 500-bed residential hall is expected to include offices for FAMU’s Honors and STEM programs, which are considered “programs of strategic emphasis.” These offices will provide students with 24-hour academic resources.
Hudson explained that the vision behind this space is to support high-achieving students by providing them with the tools they need to succeed.
“They’ll also have classes in there, study halls and different items and resources to make sure they’re successful,” Hudson said. “We’re always looking for the best and brightest students to come to the institution.”
The demand for more housing increases partly due to the aging facilities and their limited capacity.
“We’ve had opportunities because of the limited number of beds, and the deferred maintenance,” Hudson said. “Some of our buildings were 25 to 40 years old. A lot of the amenities that students want today just weren’t available. So we’re trying to update and upgrade to meet the current standards.”
As the spring semester draws to a close, FAMU students, staff, and alumni will eagerly await updates on the 500-bed residence hall and the upcoming completion of the Venom Landing, hoping it will open in the fall.
