Even as area leaders joined LBW Community College and LBW Foundation officials to “break ground” for the foundation’s student housing project Friday, heavy equipment operators worked fervently in the background.

Park Lane Construction of Birmingham has only 180 days in its contract to get the $3 million, 24-unit Saints Hall ready for occupancy in the fall term, and company officials said they could pause for nothing.

Dr. Herb Riedel, LBW president, praised all who have been involved in the project, but especially the developer, Kent Campbell of Cubed LLC.

“We had been talking about this for a long time,” Riedel said. But until the agreement with the USDA, which is financing the project, was signed, Campbell was acting on faith, Riedel said.

The two-structure project will house 96 students in 24 four-bedroom apartments. The complex is being built just across the nature trail near the tennis courts.

Among those on hand for the event were Sen. Jimmy Holley, Rep. Mike Jones, state BOE member Tracy Roberts, project architect Bruce Herrington, developer Kent Campbell, and many local officials.