Leaders of the Tri-State Islamic Center broke ground Saturday at the site of Dubuque’s first dedicated mosque building, marking a “great moment” for the organization.

About 30 area residents congregated at the end of Radford Court to celebrate the start of the building’s construction.

“We needed our own place and our own building,” said Rami Eltibi, the center’s president. “This is a great moment for us.”

The project likely will cost roughly $600,000, and fundraising efforts are ongoing. About $370,000 has been raised so far, according to the center’s website.