The Samaritan Inn marked the beginning of a new era today as officials broke ground on the first phase of the nonprofit's new center. The center, which will be located yards away from The Samaritan Inn's current home at 1710 N. McDonald St. in McKinney, will  serve 200 individuals per night, Executive Director Lynn Sipiora said. Representative from The Samaritan Inn along with Congressman Sam Johnson broke ground on Phase 1 of the inn's new facility. As the only homeless shelter in Collin County, The Samaritan Inn began with just 10 beds when it was founded in 1984 and over the years has expanded to 160 beds for men, women and children. The new center will enable the inn to provide a level of service never seen in Collin County, Sipiora said. "This is such an incredibly exciting day," she said. "There really is a recipe for success and that includes the faith community, individuals and businesses. When they all come together, great things like this new building happens." The three-phase facility will first begin construction on Phase 1, which includes a state-of-the-art family unit with enough room for 50 families. Phase 2 consists of a new-and-improved thrift store location, and Phase 3 will feature two separate shelters for men and women. Construction is set to begin immediately and the project will be complete within a year.