COMMUNITY FACILITIES
The Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center
The Salvation Army’s Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center was completed in June 2002 and became the
largest, most comprehensive community center in the country. The project was funded by a $95 million
gift from Mrs. Joan Kroc, heir to the McDonald's hamburger fortune. Six months before the potential
gift was made public, the Salvation Army entered into a four year consulting contract with Heritage West to
act as the primary development consultant for the project. Heritage West helped solidify the initial
development concept, coordinated the site search and selection, helped put together and manage the development
team, handled planning and entitlements for the development and coordinated construction activities of the
general contractor through completion of the project. The project architect was AVRP and the general
contractor was Roel Construction.
The project encompasses a 12 acre site at University Avenue and Aragon in the Rolando community of San Diego. It includes 5 main buildings plus an electric co-generation building, two large outdoor pools and a multi purpose playing field. The facility includes:
- A library, education center, computer labs and multiple hi-tech classrooms
- An 800 seat concert quality performing arts center
- A regulation NHL size ice arena
- An aquatic complex with one indoor pool and two outdoor pools, one a junior Olympic including high dives
- A gymnasium with a regulation college size basketball court and full weight / exercise facility
- A professionally built indoor skateboard park
- A children’s day care center combined with a Salvation Army family services center
- An large playing field for soccer, track and baseball plus a rock climbing wall and high wire “ropes” challenge course
- A separate building with a co-generation plant providing electrical power for the facility
RAY AND JOAN KROC
COMMUNITY CENTER
Location: San Diego, CA
Product Type: Community Center – Private Use
Period: 1999 – 2002
Size: 155,000 sq. ft.
Other Public Related Community Facilities
Heritage West’s president, Howard Gad, was on the Board of Trustees for the Solana Beach School District for two terms from 1988 to 1996. He was also on the Board of Directors for the North City West School Facilities Financing Authority (JPA) for six years (’92–’98), five as Chairman. The North City West JPA is a “Mello Roos” taxing authority which finances construction of most new public schools in what is now the Carmel Valley community in San Diego. During his tenure on these Boards, Mr. Gad was actively involved in the planning, financing and construction of seven public schools ranging from elementary through high school.
Equal Housing Opportunity |