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As bells rang, ground was broken symbolically in a parking lot for the $12 million building that will house the Fred Rogers Center and the St. Vincent College Conference Center near Latrobe, Westmoreland County.

"We began this project with profound respect for Fred's lifelong commitment to children and families, with sincere gratitude to the Rogers family, and with deep resolve to honor the teacher, man of faith and friend who touched so many lives," college President James F. Will said.

More than 150 people attended the presentation, including Rogers' family members.

The longtime host of the public television show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" died of cancer in February 2003 at age 74.

The centers will be situated at the new campus entrance off Route 30.

The 9,000-square-foot Rogers Center will include an archive of the Latrobe native's work, a library and research area, a laboratory and workshop area for the development of early learning and children's media, and a Rogers exhibit.

The 23,000-square-foot conference center will include a main banquet room with seating for up to 300 people.

Milton Chen, chairman of the Rogers Center Advisory Council, said great effort was taken by Davis Gardner Gannon Pope Architecture, of Pittsburgh's South Side, and others to make the building blend with the rest of the historic structures on the college campus.

Construction costs will be paid through public and private sources.

They include $5 million from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, $5 million from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, $1 million from the Heinz Endowments and $1 million from other sources, college officials said.

Don Orlando, college director of public relations, said site preparation will begin this summer after the Steelers wrap up training camp.

The construction, led by general contractor Massaro Corp., of O'Hara, is expected to take about 18 months.

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