A groundbreaking ceremony for a new off-campus religious-based student housing facility near the Town Center took place today. The Diocese of St. Augustine and the Newman Student Housing Fund—a third party developer not affiliated with the university–have teamed up for the privately-owned project.

Construction is set to begin mid-September, and the building is expected to be complete by July 2015.

The building will house 204 students and is open to sophomores and above. UNF President John Delaney said freshmen won’t be able to live there on account of church and state issues. This is because freshmen are required to live in university housing.

MaryJo Monk, president of the UNF Catholic Ospreys Club, said the dorms will provide a faith-based community, not just for Catholics but for all different spiritual nationalities.

Matt Zerrusen, president of the Newman Student Housing Fund, said, “When we build these residence halls, it adds another dimension that the university–by design–can’t deliver, and that is the faith-based component.”

Delaney said students losing their faith has been a concern of his since he came to campus. He said UNF is raising money to construct a sanctuary or a chapel. He said he’s been in communication with the developers for about a year and welcomes the new housing.

Email Blake Middleton at reporter32@unfspinnaker.com

*8/27/14 at 9:48 a.m. – updated for further clarification.