Monroe County officials have announced another step forward toward a major project at the Seneca Park Zoo.
On Friday, County Executive Adam Bello announced that a design consultant, Massachusetts-based CambridgeSeven, will be overseeing design for the zoo’s Tropics Exhibit and Main Entry Plaza.
The $100 million dollar project will complete phase two of the zoo’s master plan. The 48,000 square foot Tropics building, according to County Executive Adam Bello, will include the Borneo Forest, Tropical Islands, Pacific Reef Habitats and a 150,000 gallon Pacific Reef Tank.
Pamela Reed Sanchez is President of the Seneca Park Zoo Society, and she said that bringing more attention to aquatic and other species that may be endangered is an important facet of this project.
“These buildings are going to tell the story of how this community has been actively saving animals from extinction in ecosystems all over the world, specifically with the tropics complex in Borneo and in Madagascar, which are biodiversity hot spots that need our help,” Reed Sanchez said.
In a statement, Bello said that CambridgeSeven is uniquely qualified for this design work, saying that is a nationally recognized firm with 60 years of master planning and design experience of animal habitats and aquaria. He said that once the project is completed, “residents and visitors will be able to immerse themselves in exhibits that feel like they are visiting the rainforests of Indonesia or taking a trip to the island of Madagascar.”
Bello said the Main Entry Plaza will include membership and ticketing offices, classroom and education space, event space, administrative offices and the zoo shop.
Reed Sanchez said that It is expected to take a few years to complete this phase of the project at the Seneca Park Zoo.