Mesa State College received approval from Colorado lawmakers to spend close to $34.4 million on new housing for students. The Capital Development Committee voted unanimously to approve the spending. Mesa State College plans to build a five story dorm on North Ave. between Houston and Cannell Streets.

The dorms will provide 300 new beds. 200 of those will be for freshman and sophomores with the remainder for seniors and juniors. The first floor of the building will be used for retail space.

Mesa State officials say the new dorm will be finished in the fall of 2009. Demolition of the existing buildings is scheduled to start next month.