Meaghan M. McDermott

@meagmc

The giraffes are coming.

Red pandas and lemurs too. And, naked mole rats.

A funding package approved on Tuesday by the Monroe County Legislature clears the way for an ambitious expansion and renovation at the Seneca Park Zoo that will kick off later this year. The $13.5 million for the zoo included in the county's overall 2017 Capital Budget will allow construction to begin later this year on Phase 1 of a 10-year master plan project at the popular St. Paul Street attraction.

First up is building out the A Step Into Africa exhibit, with new habitats to the north of the existing elephant barn. That will allow for the addition of giraffes, zebras, ostrich and white rhinos.

"We're going with multi-species exhibits," to better reflect current best practices , said Larry Staub, Monroe County's director of parks. And, in many cases, that means zoo visitors will be able to get much closer to the zoo's animals. "We will have both indoor and outdoor feeding stations in the giraffe exhibit, giraffes are so accommodating to humans. When you're holding a piece of romaine lettuce in your hand, they come right up to you and take it from your hand with their big black tongues ... you haven't lived until you've been slimed by a giraffe tongue."

Phase 1 also includes new fencing along the zoo's east and west borders and a temporary ticketing, retail shop and entry location.

And, to help out zoo visitors, that phase will also include the addition of a new "people mover," a tram that will take visitors from the main entry gates to the end of the zoo, and back.

"During our public sessions, people said the zoo is too long and linear and when they get to the end they have to walk all the way back, and that can be tough, especially with a tired kid," said Staub. He said the 15.5-acre zoo wasn't able to make its facility more compact given the site, and that the planned expansions will make the overall zoo even longer and more linear, so the thinking was to add transportation making it easier for families, seniors and people with disabilities to visit. "I think it's going to make our attendance skyrocket, and open us up to more family visits. So instead of coming out once a year, you could maybe come out once a month since we have so much to offer."

Staub said annual zoo attendance typically tops 300,000 visitors.

Without major changes, the zoo is in danger of losing its accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Membership in that organization allows the Seneca Park facility to exhibit endangered species and puts it in the same league as big-name organizations such as the Bronx and San Diego zoos. Staub said AZA began making noise about the Seneca Park Zoo's old school facilities and main building back in 2003 and in 2013 issued an ultimatum, saying that the zoo had to make significant changes in the next five years or lose the organization's endorsement in 2018.

"And not having that means the difference between being a world-class zoo and being a roadside attraction," said Staub.

In a 2015 Master Plan, the zoo outlined its overall goals. The 10-year, $85 million build-out is broken into two phases. The $57 million Phase 1 includes the Africa exhibit, tearing down the main zoo and entrance buildings, adding a new concessions building and a Tropical Complex and exhibits. The zoo will also bring in new red pandas and relocate some existing animals to new habitats.

The project received a $1 million grant late last year from the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council. Monroe County is expected to fund about $37 million of Phase 1, with the Seneca Park Zoo Society providing $20 million.

The expanded Africa exhibit and tram are expected to be up and running by mid-2018, with the second half of Phase 1 completed in 2020. An as-yet unfunded Phase 2 would begin sometime thereafter and is expected to include an update to the Rocky Coasts Exhibit, renovations to the Eco-Center, a ropes course and amphitheater, a new interpretive play area and other exhibit expansions with target completion dates in 2026.

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In 2016, the legislature approved $5.7 million in capital project funds toward the overall project.

In written remarks, Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo lauded passage of the county's capital budget.

"With the passage of the Capital Budget, the County can get back to work on many important projects in the community," she said. "This funding puts us back on track with several vital developments at the Zoo and the Airport as well as on our roads and bridges."

Other items of note in the 2017 Capital Budget include:

$16 million for highway and bridge projects, including $2.5 million for work in Long Pond Road from the Lake Ontario State Parkway to Edgemere Drive in Greece and replacement of the Bowerman Road Bridge over Oatka Creek in Scottsville.

$1 million for work on the County Office Building and $400,000 for courtroom improvements at the Hall of Justice.

$6 million for projects at Monroe Community College.

$12 million for work at the Greater Rochester International Airport, including runway and taxiway improvements, an information systems upgrade, work on the passenger loading bridges, drainage and terminal improvements.

MCDERMOT@Gannett.com