The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
in Philadelphia opened its doors October 16, 2010. The late Joan Kroc, widow of
McDonald’s Corporation founder Ray Kroc, donated $1.5 billion to The Salvation
Army to develop state-of-the-art community centers in underserved communities
across the nation, providing educational, recreational and arts services in an
inspirational environment. The bequest is the largest single private donation
to a charitable organization in American history. As one of 25 planned in the
nation, the 130,000 square foot community center in Philadelphia is the largest
in scale in the East. The Center, designed by MGA Partners Architects in
association with PZS Architects and landscape architects Andropogon Associates,
is a model for both future transformations of industrial landscapes and super
community centers across the country. Located in one of the poorest areas in
the city on an abandoned industrial estate, the community center will
accommodate over 1000 people daily, from children to the elderly. Over 450
employees will support the The Salvation Army Kroc Center’s programs, which
include a wide range of social and educational services, recreation and fitness
facilities, an aquatics center with competition pool, a child care center, an
urban farm, an educational café, and worship and performing arts spaces.
Through a combination of construction and site waste recycling strategies as
well as water management techniques, the Center’s 12.4-acre campus is one of
the region’s most environmentally progressive brownfield redevelopments.
Successful transformation of the site has rejuvenated community pride and
cohesion, and has spawned a new city planning study of the area, streetscape
improvements, and proposals for surrounding development.