New York Construction Report staff writer
Construction has started on a $135-million Tropics Complex at Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, a project that will add new animal habitats, aquatic exhibits and educational facilities.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the groundbreaking for the project, which is expected to be completed in late 2029. Once finished, the Tropics Complex will be the only facility of its kind in North America.
The complex is designed to take visitors beyond traditional zoo exhibits, allowing them to move through recreated ecosystems rather than simply observe animals from outside their habitats.
Species from Madagascar, Borneo and the Indo-Pacific will be featured, including orangutans, lemurs, Komodo dragons and jellyfish. An indoor rainforest will also be part of the attraction, which is expected to draw visitors from the Rochester region and beyond throughout the year.
The building will include tropical forest and island habitats, Pacific reef exhibits, education and event space, administrative offices and a new gift shop.
It will house 60,000 gallons of aquatic habitats, including a 30,000-gallon Amazon River tank, a Komodo dragon pool, a Madagascar cichlid tank, a coral reef tank and a shark touch tank.
Other anticipated species include siamangs, coral catsharks, Amazonian fish and rays, and giant Pacific octopuses.
The project is funded through a combination of public and private contributions. New York State is providing $42.5 million, while Monroe County is contributing $67.6 million. The New York State Historic Preservation Office has committed $1.9 million, and the Seneca Park Zoo Society is raising an additional $23 million.
“For more than 130 years, the Seneca Park Zoo has been an important part of the region’s history, educating and entertaining hundreds of thousands of visitors and residents alike,” Hochul said. “Through this public-privately funded transformative project, we will ensure that tradition continues, bolstering the zoo’s mission through venue modernization and expanded programming that will continue to enhance the overall guest experience.”
The groundbreaking coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Monroe County parks system, which is being celebrated from October 2026 through October 2027.
Established in 1894, Seneca Park Zoo is home to more than 90 species and attracts more than 350,000 visitors annually. The zoo also supports more than 14,000 member households and delivers school programs, camps and community events focused on wildlife conservation and environmental awareness.
The Tropics Complex is intended to expand the zoo’s educational programming and visitor experience while supporting regional tourism and economic development.
New York State welcomed a record 321 million visitors in 2025, generating more than $97 billion in direct spending and $152 billion in total economic impact, according to the state government. Tourism supports one in every nine jobs across New York.
