NY Aquarium breaks ground on shark exhibit

January 10, 2014 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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The Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium has broken ground on a new building that will house sharks and other marine wildlife.

The 57,000-square-foot facility will be called Ocean Wonders: Sharks! In addition to sharks it will house 115 species including skates, rays and sea turtles.

The new exhibit will include a laboratory where schoolchildren can learn about marine life and habitats.

The $157.1 million project is slated for completion in 2016.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement that Friday’s groundbreaking marked “a huge step” in the aquarium’s recovery after Superstorm Sandy.

The storm surge from Sandy flooded tanks with debris-filled water and knocked out backup power to all of the exhibits. Many of them reopened to the public in May.

The Coney Island facility gets 750,000 visitors annually.