John Ball Zoo Pygmy Hippo Habitat
490,000 Sq. Ft.
Sustainable Habitat for a World-Class Destination
Project Overview
Wolverine Building Group constructed a habitat for pygmy hippos for our repeat client, John Ball Zoo. This project consists of a holding building, indoor habitat viewing room, and outdoor habitat.
Extensive planning and coordination is required for the complex underground water filtration systems needed. Over $2 Million of the total cost was spent on the exterior and underground systems. This project will be Living Building Challenge certified at the “Petal” level. It carries goals for recycling construction waste and materials, as well as filtration and re-use of non-potable water.
Because the zoo remained fully operational throughout construction, the project required unique safety and logistics protocols. Our team planned creatively to to maintain the safety and comfort of the zoo’s visitors, employees, and animal residents. We also worked with the zoo to keep visitors informed on our progress, so the site was a destination instead of an inconvenience. Innovations like this allowed construction to progress on schedule with no interruption to John Ball Zoo events.
