Photos and Updates

July 21, 2011: Plenty of Progress Behind Those Construction Fences

Behind those chain-linked fences on the south side of Denver Zoo, construction on Toyota Elephant Passage is turning the corner. All buildings on the site of the 10-acre conservation center and exhibit are under construction or near completion.

Buildings small and large are heading to the punch-list phase, where Denver Zoo’s Planning and Capital Projects staff will double- and triple-check actual construction against project plans.

Catwalks (above photo) have been installed at the Clayton F. Freiheit Elephant Building, the largest Toyota Elephant Passage facility at 20,000 square feet. Catwalks will allow keepers more options in training, feeding and observing the elephants. Besides providing enrichment from the catwalks a hay net with be hung from the two sides of the catwalks at the front of the elephant parlor. This will allow the elephants to feed in a more natural environment.

Crews also have poured concrete in the parlor of the elephant house, which will include a shower that sprays overhead. Elephants can operate the shower by pressing a button with their trunk. A viewing area opposite the parlor will allow guests to see elephants in this communal area.

TPO roofing, a thermoplastic polyolefin material constructed from single-ply ethylene propylene rubber, has been installed on the elephant building roof. TPO is a durable material, environmentally friendly and safe to install. A Solatube system, which includes several reflective surfaces that brings more natural light into a space than a typical skylight, will be installed soon.

The roof and windows have been installed at the waste management building, home for the gasification system, which will create clean energy from the zoo’s human trash and animal waste.

A thatch roof has been completed on the Outpost hut (above photo), which will resemble a rural Asian village. The Outpost is one of three distinct, themed habitats on Toyota Elephant Passage. The Outpost will illustrate how local residents interact with elephants and other Asian animals.

Structural steel for roofing on habitat B and C animal shade structures also are complete. Soon the theming of these structures will be added as the natural look of the exhibit starts to surface.

In habitat D, on the east side of Toyota Elephant Passage where the last construction phases started, texture coating for the pool (above photo) has been poured. A curing process for the pools has begun, too. Footings for the demonstration area where guests can view animal shows has been installed and framing of the café building on habitat D also is under way.

Kiewit Building Group, the general contractor for Toyota Elephant Passage, is expected to turn over the exhibit to the zoo this fall. This will allow animals and zookeepers become acclimated to the $50 million exhibit scheduled to open in late spring 2012.

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