David Romano's new college digs are unlike any other place he has lived. Wireless Internet access allows the UCSD senior to whip out a laptop anywhere in his apartment. He can work on homework in an ergonomic chair designed to keep him comfortable. And if he needs to see an academic adviser, he only has to walk a few feet.

Romano is among 1,240 inaugural residents moving onto UCSD's new Eleanor Roosevelt College campus this weekend. The innovative complex pairs a traditional college living experience with the convenience of having academic services next door. The college's provost, dean of students and school advisers all work within the residential community.

A record 23,500 graduate and undergraduate students will start classes at UCSD tomorrow. More than 9,000 of them – mostly freshmen and sophomores – will live in university-provided housing through one of UCSD's six colleges.

Each undergraduate student belongs to one of the colleges, designed to maintain an intimate academic setting within the sprawling campus. Each college follows an educational theme, and students take a set of core classes that integrate that theme. Eleanor Roosevelt College, named in 1994 for the former first lady and U.S. delegate to the United Nations, teaches students about the modern world through the histories of various cultures.

The $106 million Eleanor Roosevelt College campus marks the first time an entire college campus has been built at one time at UCSD. Most of the university's five other colleges grew building by building. The Eleanor Roosevelt complex spans 12 acres and is the largest in funding and footage in campus history.

"This is revolutionary," said Mark Cunningham, UCSD's director of housing and dining services. "The provost can look out her window and literally see the residence halls. Students can walk outside their rooms and have everything they need."

Until now, Eleanor Roosevelt students lived in scattered residence halls and apartments on the southeast side of campus near Interstate 5. The area was nicknamed "Camp Snoopy" by residents for its intimate and woodsy summer-camp feel. UCSD's Sixth College now occupies the space.

The Eleanor Roosevelt administration building was located near the center of the La Jolla campus. Students had to walk the length of several city blocks if they needed to see an academic adviser.

Unlike the typical college dormitory setup, most Eleanor Roosevelt residents get their own rooms within apartments and townhomes. More than 450 students live in 11-person residence halls that have single and double rooms. The rest stay in quarters that bring together international and U.S-born students. All quarters come fully furnished and include a kitchen and bathroom. A maid service will vacuum, clean the bathrooms and tidy up the kitchen once a week.

The complex includes dozens of meeting spaces, intended to accommodate everything from large banquets to small study groups, said Rey Guerrero, resident dean. Even the campus laundry rooms have adjacent study areas so students can work and wash clothes at the same time.

The cost to a student for a year's residency within the new college is a minimum $7,378, depending on the meal plan and whether a bedroom is shared.

"It's pretty much amazing," said Romano, one of the 26 resident advisers in the complex. "We were on the other side of campus last year. It seemed like we were off in our own world. Now we're a lot closer to everything."

The design of the complex signals a trend in what students want out of their college living experience, Cunningham said. About three-quarters of those who come to UCSD have never had a roommate, and setting boundaries with 11 other people is challenging for many of them, he said. Students in the new living spaces have fewer roommates and more personal space.

The college's dining spots also are a sign of this new wave of campus life. The main eating facility touts a sushi chef, table service and fancy foods. It won't be unusual to see fresh salmon or Italian calzones on the menu, Cunningham said.

"The freshmen are spoiled coming in here because it's so nice," UCSD senior and resident adviser Hart Woolery said. "My first year here, I lived in a small room with one person, and there was no dining hall near us. The freshmen get a huge one right here."

The complex, adjacent to North Torrey Pines Road, also will be a new experience for Eleanor Roosevelt administrators, who are accustomed to working across campus from where their students lived. Provost Ann Craig said the new complex will allow staff to maintain closer relationships with the college's 3,100 students.

"One of the beauties of this design is that it pulls together all of the elements that make up a college into a single, integrated space," Craig said. "The whole idea is to provide a living space that can be a living-learning environment."

The Eleanor Roosevelt College complex is the first major project in San Diego of international architect Moshe Safdie. The San Diego firm of Safdie Rabines Architects, led by Taal Safdie, his daughter, and her husband, Ricardo Rabines, also was involved. UCSD will celebrate the complex's opening with a series of events in the week beginning Oct. 6.