Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Set To Reopen After Major Renovations

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Big changes are happening at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.

For the first time, the zoo is closed for six weeks for maintenance and renovation.

One of the largest changes taking place at the zoo is crews are building a brand new restaurant. Construction workers started demolition in October in the area near the Safari Grill.

They tore down a cheetah holding building, along with two small buildings where you could buy pizza and French fries.

"What we're doing is we're constructing a new 7,000 square foot restaurant, which will accommodate 300 seats," said Bradley Smith, Director of Construction Management at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.

There will be 160 seats outside and 140 seats inside the air-conditioned building. The new "Jambo Grill" is on track to be completed by Memorial Day.

"It is an African theme, it is very open, heavy timber, it has a very steep cathedral ceiling," said Smith.

Smith said one of the best parts of the restaurant is that you'll be able to watch the cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and elephants, while you enjoy a meal on the patio.

As far as the menu, there will be several healthy and fresh options.

"This is an opportunity for us to step our game up in this market, as well as in zoos and we really want to make people rethink what zoo food is," said Steve Schurr, General Manager of Service Systems Associates.

There will be seasonal specials on the menu, along with hand-tossed salads, sandwiches made-to-order, and gourmet pizza.

The classics like burgers, chicken fingers, and fries will also be available.

The aquarium is another area of the zoo getting a facelift. Crews are revamping the huge salt water tank right in the middle of the aquarium.

"It is going to look brighter, it will be more enhanced, the color will be different, the lighting will be a lot different," said Smith.

Crews are also adding new coral and they are resurfacing the concrete throughout the entire tank, which is 27 feet deep and holds 100,000 gallons of water.

It took zoo officials weeks to remove the hundreds of fish from the ocean tank.

"We had teams of people in the water and on the surface of the tank. We had specially designed cargo nets and harnesses and things in order to be able to remove all the fish," said Dwayne Briggs, Curator of Aquatic Life at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.

This is the first time crews have completely cleared the tank in the 14 years it has been in existence.

Biggs says a 350-pound grouper was the most difficult fish to remove from the tank.

"Those are big fish and they have a little attitude occasionally, they rule the tank," said Biggs.

Biggs says the sharks were more cooperative because they are trained to come to the surface. All of the fish are now being housed in holding tanks.

While there is still some work and maintenance to be done, the zoo is set to reopen on Feb. 13.

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