The doors to East Village officially opened Wednesday to students who can now call themselves the first inhabitants of Northeastern University’s newest residence hall.

Students started moving in to the 17-floor building at 8 a.m., remaining in good spirits throughout the process despite the cold weather.

“It’s really nice,” said Travis Ketchum, DMSB’18, who added that when he filled out the housing form, he did not know he could be placed in East Village. The California native was all moved in by 11:30 a.m., but still needed to find a place to hang his Kobe Bryant poster.

About 600 students were expected to move in throughout the day, according to Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Marina Macomber. The building can fit 713 students, the remainder of whom will move in this weekend.

“It’s a very exciting day,” Macomber said as students’ belongings were whisked from their parents’ cars to their new rooms.

The first 11 floors of residential space comprise suites, each with its own bathroom. The next four floors comprise apartment-style spaces for upperclassmen, and the 17th floor will be used for events and can hold more than 300 people. The building also features five classrooms and an apartment for a faculty-in-residence.

“East Village will provide some unique programing opportunities,” Macomber said, noting that students will have access to the YMCA’s fitness facility.

According to Cassandra McKenzie, senior capital project manager in the Facilities Division, East Village is the first residence hall on campus that has inoperable windows, which is important for LEED certification.

Emily Mitchell, AMD’18, said that she hadn’t requested East Village as her first choice for housing. When asked about the assignment, she said, “I think I’m happier I didn’t get traditional housing.”

By late morning, Macomber noted the move-in process had been pretty seamless, which was important so parents and students wouldn’t have to wait outside in the cold.

Patti Winkel, who maintains an informational website to help parents whose children are going off to college, helped her son Matthew move into his new digs. She was pleased by how efficiently she and her son completed the move-in process, noting “Everything was out of the car in about five seconds.”

“This residence hall is gorgeous,” she said. “What a treat to be the first kids in a brand new dorm.”

Construction on East Village began in August 2012, and a special ceremony attended by then Mayor Thomas Menino was held in October 2013 to celebrate the placement of the structure’s final beam.