Closing Bell: New York Aquarium Breaks Ground on New Shark Exhibit

The New York Aquarium broke ground on its 57,000-square-foot shark hall today in Coney Island, the Daily News reports. “Ocean Wonders: Sharks!” will be wrapped in a sparkling wall made of small aluminum squares meant to resemble a wave. The $127,000,000 exhibit will feature more than 115 species of marine wildlife, including sharks, skates, rays and turtles. Forty-five sharks will live in the exhibit’s three 500,000-gallon main tanks. The three-story building will have a coral reef tunnel that gives visitors a 360-degree view of ocean life, in addition to a roof deck, classroom space and cafe. The aquarium also posted a fun 3-D model and virtual tour of the planned building, which is scheduled to open in 2016.

The aquarium planned to break ground on the new shark hall last year, but damage from Hurricane Sandy forced it to delay the project. Only half of the aquarium’s 14-acre complex has been usable since it reopened last May.

Coney Island’s New York Aquarium Breaks Ground on New $127M Shark Exhibit on Friday [NYDN]

Image via New York Aquarium/Wildlife Conservation Society