Philadelphia Zoo has received the preliminary go-ahead for a dining expansion that will cost an estimated $11.5 million.
America’s first zoo unveiled plans on Wednesday for a state-of-the-art dining facility that would increase the capacity of its restaurant by nearly seven times.
Amy Shearer, the zoo’s chief marketing officer, told BizJournals: “We haven’t made an investment in our zoo guest-member amenities of this kind in a number of years. We were able to put together a design that really blurs the line between indoors and outdoors. People won’t have to stop their visit to eat. Instead it’s a big part of the visit and the experience will really speak to the idea of nature, our role on the plant, and how we fit within it.”
The Zoo’s main restaurant currently has 92 indoor seats. The planned expansion would add another 650 seats. This would include 156 seats on a roof deck.
The new, 20,000-square-foot, two-story building will also feature a green roof infrastructure. A glass-enclosed pavilion is planned for the ground floor that will offer four different dining options. A new entrance will include a stairwell and elevator tower. The entrance will be lit at night to attract passing guests.
In 2014, the zoo expanded their culinary options.
Image courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2017/09/07/philadelphia-zoo-roof-deck-events-eatery.html
