Five years ago, it was a dream. Today, it will be under construction.
The campaign to bring the Salvation Army's Kroc Center to Augusta took raising $20 million locally to qualify for a $67.8 million gift that will not only build the center, but also finance its operations through an ongoing endowment.
"It became apparent to us very early that the Lord's will has been done with this project," said Capt. Todd Mason, the Kroc Center administrator. "This is a day when we will look back at all that has been done to get here, while turning the page to plan for a great future."
After today's 10:30 a.m. groundbreaking, workers will move ahead with 16 months of construction that will yield a diverse, 100,000-square-foot complex serving purposes that range from culture and recreation to social services and worship.
The 17-acre campus will be off Broad Street along the Augusta Canal.
The main building, with 75,000 square feet of space, will include a 400-seat performing arts theater and worship hall, a 280-seat community hall, an indoor aquatics center, a senior citizens lounge and classrooms for arts, music, education and recreational programming. Thirteen houses are also being incorporated into the project, located in the Harrisburg neighborhood.
The center will be among similar projects in other cities -- all funded through the estate of the late McDonald's heiress Joan Kroc, who left $1.7 billion to the Salvation Army to build and endow Kroc centers across the nation.
Denver architect Steve Blackburn, a principal partner in the Barker Rinker Seacat firm that designed the project, is as excited as anyone to see the Augusta center rising from the ground.
"It's the culmination of worship, performing arts, culture, social gathering, recreation and aquatics -- all under one roof," he said. "It isn't common to have all those things in one place."
Blackburn and his colleagues have also designed Kroc Centers that opened last year in Salem, Ore., and in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, with similar features and amenities.
"We're also about to break ground on one in Quincy, Ill., and another in Green Bay, Wis.," he said. "We've worked in some capacity on more than 20 centers either in peer review, development planning or design and construction."
Although the Idaho and Oregon centers are similar, Augusta's project has many unique features, he said.
The most notable is the cross tower, which will be named in honor of banker/philanthropist Boone Knox, who led the campaign committee.
"That will be the most dramatic architectural statement on the building," Blackburn said. "It was inspired by the (Confederate Powderworks chimney) tower across the canal, and the brick color and material we used on the building will help create that sense of neighborhood in the Harrisburg area."
One of the project's signature amenities, which is being used as a model for Kroc Centers in other cities, will be a "First Stop Center" in a separate building from the main complex, where as many as 20 organizations will help assess and steer families to programs that can help them.
The aquatics center's water slide will also be unique, he said.
"We've designed a water slide that actually exits the building, wraps around what looks like an old water tower -- like you might see along old train tracks -- and then it goes back inside the building and splashes down -- all protected in a water slide tube. It will make for an interesting feature you'll see from Broad Street. It's the first time we've done anything like that."
Kroc Center coordinator Derek Dugan said details are still being worked out on membership fees and programs, but an early goal calls for having 4,000 family members by the time the center opens in June 2011.
Other centers have surpassed their membership goals, he said. The Idaho center, for example, has more than 10,000 members, well above the estimate of 6,000.
All young men and women who are looking for work, should have no problem getting hired to be laborers, at this construction site!!!
Seriously, this is a nice summary article, Rob. Let's get R done!
I just hope that the community will appreciate such a center coming here.
Very indepth. Absolutely no mention of the Augusta architectural firm that has partnered with the Denver firm throughout the entire design process. Also no mention of the local contractor that will build the center.
well, how special! Meanwhile, other non-profits are ready to shut their doors because everyone gave their millions to this project. People just don't know what it is like to run a facility that cares for homeless, hungry, etc. and now can barely scrape by because for the last 3 years everyone was told this was the all in all center to provide help for people all under one roof. Yes, it will be a blessing to people. Yes, many will use its services and I am glad it will be here but the cost to the other organizations has been to huge proportions. Just my view.
"It was a good day in Augusta". Rare. Words and song in praise to God. Thanks to many individuals who have made this dream possible. I think this is the greatest single "positive event" in my seven decades as an Augusta resident. There is no finer organization that The Salvation Army. It is no wonder that the Kroc Family chose SA to receive and be the "stewards" of this tremendous funding. The dedication of the SA is unparalleled in the modern world of "charity". Hard working, dedicated men and women, black and white who see their mission as "God's Work". The SA does it in most efficient way. In fact, funds that would have gone to the SA have over the years been siphoned off by "look alike missions". The wide spread "duplication of services" means more overhead, more chances for fraud and fewer needy actually helped. The Kroc can be a "light in a dark place". Work done to God's glory can change Harrisburg. The "Master" can unite people for service.
If only the What-A-Burger had been there to do the catering. LOL
In 2010 Augusta will have good days everday. Augusta will outperform the entire state of GA in 2010. Our unemployment is already lower than the state and national level.
The bio-tech community at MCG continues to move forward.
The National Security Agency(one of three in the world) opens this year. Which will bring 4,000 high paying jobs and 1,000 I.T. specialist.
A $112 million Dental school under construction in the Medical District. MCG 150 student room dorm, outpatient center, School of Medicine, and Educational Commons are being built on the property too.
Underwood Homes on Sandbar ferry is boarded up. They're about to be demolished. New residential is taking the place of the former housing projects. This is the second housing project the city has demolished. Gilbert Manor where MCG is building was the first.
Several new neighborhoods and townhome communites in Laney Walker. Including the James Brown towhomes, Whispering Pines, and Holley street corridor. The Walks on James Brown boulevard are underway.
There is a Four Points by Sheraton under construction. The new $25 million Sheraton opened in January.
A library, judicial center, and saint sebastian are underway downtown.
There are several new lofts and other residential downtown.
There is a 100 acre plus mix use development in West Augusta. Located between ADP and T-Mobile. The development takes up Frontage and Flowing Wells roads.
A $40 million Tee Center, $10 million parking garage, and $25 million Hyatt start construction downtown. In March-April
Several other big developments happening in Augusta in 2010. There are developments in the suburbs of Augusta too.
countyman, if you are an elected official or serving in a public capacity, would you please identify yourself like Joe Bowles and others do on these boards? If you are merely an unpaid cheerleader in rose-colored glasses - enjoy the game.
Rose-colored glasses? I don't wear glasses but I do wear contacts. Im only posting the facts on Augusta. There are several exciting things happening now and in Augusta's future. Some of the people on here don't know what's happening in Augusta.
2009 Augusta rankings
• -Metro Monitor – 23rd among the strongest metro performances across 4 indicators
• -Miliken Institue/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners – Augusta is ranked #82nd Best Performing Cities Index (components include job, wages & salary and technology growth)
• -Forbes #5 in the nation “Best Bang For the Buck” Cities
• -Forbes #22 Fastest Recovering Cities in America
• -Business Week #23 “Forty Strongest Metro Economies”
• -Business Week #11 “America’s 25 Next Recovering Job Markets”
• -Business Week #6 “Strongest Building Markets for Housing”
• -Business Week #21 “30 Strongest Housing Markets in the United States”
• -Forbes #44 “100 Cities Where Americans Are Getting Richer”
A biomedical research leader who cut his teeth by boosting the research park at Wake Forest University said Augusta is on the right track in boosting its own bioscience industry.
Moskowitz suggested that Augusta showcase all the research that's being done within its medical community.
"It is just getting people excited," Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver said. "The main thing to me is Augusta used to be us vs. them, people were protectionist. It's got to be about collaboration."
Moskowitz met with the mayor's economic development council and toured the Medical College of Georgia life science incubator and the Augusta BioBusiness Center, established by the Georgia Medical Center Authority on Broad Street.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/business/2010-01-27/biomedical-researc...
In spite of the economic challenges of 2009, overnight visitors to Augusta spent at a record high. Total hotel revenue and related sales and lodging tax collections for the city increased nearly 3% over 2008 which was also a record year. “Augusta is extremely fortunate during these difficult financial times. While other cities, large and small, are experiencing drastic declines in visitation, visitor spending in Augusta is on the rise.
Total hotel revenue in Augusta is estimated at $60 million for 2009 and area hotels contributed more than $9.4 million annually in local taxes and fees to the City of Augusta. According to the most recent information from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, visitors spend $386 million annually in Augusta, and generate $11.5 million in local taxes. Approximately 5,000 people are employed in the hospitality industry in the Augusta area. And thanks to visitor spending, each Augusta household saves an average of $450 in taxes.
Richmond County is approaching 6,300 hotel rooms among 67 hotels. Four hotels opened in 2009 on top of three the year before.
Visitor spending at Augusta hotels has increased every year since 2001, Mr. White said.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/deke-copenhaver/great-news-from-the-august...
Augusta will host Teh 2010 International Mountain Biking Association May 5-8 downtown. This will be the largest IMBA held to date.
http://www.imba.com/news/news_releases/06_09/06_12_2010_World_Summit_Hos...
Okay now the thefts will start on the construction site and when it's finally done the (THEY) will start vandalizing it,that's because it is in Augusta, Just you watch and see!!!!
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