Franklin Park Zoo New Exhibits

For over a decade, Commodore has partnered with Zoo New England on multiple projects at the Franklin Park Zoo in Dorchester, from new animal exhibits to interactive play areas for children.

Representative Projects:

• Nature’s Neighborhoods
  Phased renovations of the former George Robert White Fund Children’s Zoo to create the Nature’s Neighborhoods, a new educational exhibit that exposes children and families to the diverse ecosystems found across the world. The 105,000 SF project expands the Children’s Zoo by building new animal exhibits for red pandas, muntjac, and prairie dogs, and carved rockwork structures for the exhibits. The work also involved the addition of themed play structures for children, two shotcrete/themed ponds with life support systems, and a design/build aviary structure.
• Interior Gorilla Exhibit
  Phase One of the Franklin Park Zoo’s Master Plan began with the 10,000 SF renovation of the gorilla exhibit, located inside the Tropical Forest. The zoo kept most of the animals on exhibit throughout construction, allowing visitors to experience the changes to the habitat as they unfolded. Curious visitors could peek through windows in the construction barriers. These portholes, cut at all heights, made it possible for even the tiniest visitors to catch a glimpse of the exciting new Zoo in the making. Phase II was comprised of renovating the gorilla’s interior holding area, including stainless steel caging, and a transfer bridge that tied the new holding facility into the existing space and the interior exhibit.
• African Wild Dogs Exhibit
  Construction of a new, pre-fabricated structure in the African Wild Dogs’ outdoor habitat. Site modifications to the exhibit included installing new plumbing and electrical lines and pouring a new foundation for the pre-fab structure.
• Giraffe Barn
  Addition to the existing giraffe barn to accommodate a new stall. The addition housed specialty caging, which aided in guiding the giraffes to their outdoor exhibit, as well as allowing for an area where medical procedures could be performed.
• Budgie Exhibit
  Construction of a new, 12,800 SF budgie bird exhibit.