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.