(photo by Aaron Blevins)

Emerson College officials celebrated the groundbreaking of its Hollywood campus on Thursday, and Emerson alumni Henry Winkler served as the event’s master of ceremonies.

According to a statement, Emerson has had a 25-year presence in Los Angeles through its Burbank center, but the Hollywood facility, located at 5960 W. Sunset Blvd., will be its first permanent location in the city, which is home to 3,200 Emerson alumni.

The project is slated for completion in the spring of 2014, and construction began on the LEED-certified facility in December 2011.