After close to a year of work, renovations on the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens are more than halfway completed.
The expansion project is on schedule and expected to open in early 2027.
The new welcome center is designed to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens CEO Erin Grajek said.
“The building is designed to achieve carbon neutrality, and we're really proud of that," she said. "This includes thoughtful energy saving feature, energy saving features like skylights, expansive glass walls, solar panels and ground source heat pumps.”
Other improvements include 90,000 square feet of new and renovated outdoor gardens and central courtyard, enclosed for protected plants.
Keeping the facility up to date is imperative because playing catch up would be impossible, Buffalo City Parks Commissioner Stephen Buccilli said.
“Losing something like this, it would not come back. The commitment from the state, the county and other funders is paramount to keep amenities like this and cultural gems in Erie County and the city of Buffalo, the expansion and renovations this facility will help preserve the legacy to keep this for further generations.”
The check-in serves as more than an update on the construction, Botanical Gardens Board Chairperson Tisha Luciani said.
“It's a celebration of progress. It's a reminder of why we're doing this, to connect people with nature and beauty and learning in ways that inspire and uplift," she said. "That mission is alive in every beam going up and every garden being shaped.”
Renovations are on-budget, though funding is $800,000 short of the $31 million goal.
Grajek expects the project to reach LEED Gold certification, a national standard for sustainable and healthy building design.
