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ASHEBORO —
Hendrick Construction Inc. won a contract to build five barns and expand the North Carolina Zoo’s 37-acre African Plains habitat.
The project includes a rhinoceros barn, three hoof-stock barns and a treatment barn with connected paddocks and animal holding facilities. Hendrick Construction will also repair the exhibit’s existing barns and complete the associated site work. The buildings will house rhinoceroses, gazelles, antelope and other plains animals.
The 11-acre expansion will feature extensive wood- and vinyl-coated fencing, as well as indigenous turf, plants and landscaping to control erosion and mimic the animals’ natural environments.
“This project is next to occupied corrals and paddock areas, and the animals are very sensitive to heavy vibrations, loud noises and other distractions found on typical construction sites,” said Jon Hattaway, project manager for Hendrick Construction. “Our work will require careful planning and consideration so we don’t disrupt their daily routines.”
Designed by Raleigh-based Schema Architecture, the facilities incorporate a mix of construction techniques, including pre-engineered metal buildings with standing-seam roofs, a steel-pole barn, concrete masonry units and cast-in-place concrete walls.
“This is our second project for the zoo, and it’s unique for us because the primary users of the buildings are animals,” said Dave Hardin, project manager for Schema. “Our structural engineer had the biggest challenge, since part of his scope included making one of the barns rhino-proof.”
The treatment barn will be the new headquarters for the African Plains keepers, complete with office and meeting space. The building will also feature space for minor veterinarian procedures, recovery stalls, nursery stalls, an animal food preparation area and a special workspace for restraining antelope without the stress and risk of chemical immobilization.
“The treatment barn will provide for our antelope medical needs and complement our anticipated growth in numbers,” said Guy Lichty, curator of mammals for the North Carolina Zoo.
The three new hoof-stock barns will include community stalls, keeper areas, feed storage and isolation stalls. The barns will also incorporate translucent wall panels to allow for natural light.
These community barns and associated large paddocks are designed to accommodate larger herds of antelope. Many species of antelope prefer to stick together in herds. As a result, they are not prone to enter small spaces as individuals.
“In order to get them to utilize heated shelters and bring them off exhibit, we need to appeal to their herding instinct and provide larger spaces they will be more inclined to enter and utilize,” said Lichty.
The project is scheduled to be completed in June 2011.
