Essex County approves Turtle Back Zoo barn construction and Green Acres grants

Essex County commissioners on Tuesday approved a package of grants and contracts to advance several Turtle Back Zoo projects, including a new timber barn to house hoofstock species and two Green Acres grants that contribute to project funding.

County Department of Public Works Director David Antonio described the largest construction award: a contract to CIVICUS Enterprises to build a roughly 5,000-square-foot timber "hoofstock" barn adjacent to the African Adventure exhibit at Turtle Back Zoo, with a low bid reported at $7,881,723. Antonio said the barn will include six stalls, indoor arenas, mechanical rooms and storage space and will be accessed via existing maintenance driveways. "This contract will allow for the construction of a new timber barn adjacent to the existing African Adventure exhibit at the zoo," he said.

Joshua Zates, director of County Parks, reviewed two related Green Acres grants that the board inserted into the county budget earlier in the meeting: one award directly to Essex County and a second award routed through the Zoological Society. Zates said the two grants — together roughly $4.25 million — are intended to be major portions of the funding package for the barn and associated site work, and that the county will provide a 25% match where required while the nonprofit Zoological Society provides its portion of matching funds.

"These services will be the majority of the funding source for the hoofstock barn project," Zates said when outlining the Green Acres grants and the county's Recreation Open Space Trust Fund uses for design and construction oversight.

The board also approved a contract to Legacy Construction for construction inspection and management services for the project (item 70) and a separate construction-management contract for the barn site. Brian Mead of Legacy Construction said his firm will serve as the county's owner's representative on the project. "We look forward to fully representing the county and doing an excellent job protecting the interests of the county," Mead told commissioners.

Commissioners asked mostly procedural questions about funding sources and whether some grant dollars flowed through the Zoological Society. A county administrator's office representative confirmed that one Green Acres award is to Essex County and the other is a pass-through to the Zoological Society; the remaining funding needs were described as coming from the county's capital account. No commissioner opposed the package.

The board moved the multi-item package by motion and approved it by roll call. The project will proceed with contract awards; specific construction schedules and anticipated completion dates were not specified in the meeting record.

Funding sources and amounts mentioned at the meeting include the two Green Acres grants discussed by parks staff (items 63 and 64), county capital funds, and the construction bid award of $7,881,723 for the hoofstock barn. The inspectors and project managers appointed to the project will report to the county's Department of Public Works and Parks.