Schilletter and University Village residents will soon see their efforts to build a new community center pay off. Groundbreaking for the $545,000 facility took place Thursday afternoon.

The communities house a diverse population, ranging from single undergraduates from the United States to married international students with children, said Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs.

Residents host programs such as play groups, movie nights and cooking classes, but they have not had a central meeting place since their old community center was replaced by a childcare facility about three and a half years ago. Residents began discussing plans to build a new center about two years ago, said Mark Grief, architect for facilities planning and management.

“We’ve had to hold all our programs in weird places, like the laundry room and basement,” said Shauri Bair, a resident manager at University Village. “I honestly didn’t think this center was really going to happen.”

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said the groundbreaking was made possible by the persistence of the residents and the ongoing commitment of the division of student affairs.

Hill agreed persistence was key to the project being realized.

“Every morning I would get another e-mail from somebody telling me how much the center was needed,” he said. “That’s the way it should be.”

Hill said residents made him come to their meetings in the laundry room to see how badly the center was needed.

“Good strategy,” he said.

Karen Brehm, mayor of the communities and junior in anthropology, said construction of the center shows the school’s commitment to family, which was a major reason she chose to attend Iowa State.

“When many universities are closing the doors on family housing, Iowa State is welcoming families,” she said.

“Now we can make a community Iowa State is proud to have on campus.”

Hill said he believes families are important to the ISU community.

“There’s a method to the madness,” he said.

“See all these kids running around? We’re recruiting them. We want Iowa State to be a place they want to be.”

Grief said construction should be complete in about eight months. The building will house a community meeting place, computer lab, conference room and office spaces, he said.

“I’m excited to see it get started and serve the community,” Grief said.

“This is something residents have wanted for a while, and it’s good to be a part of it.”