The New England Aquarium has leased a 17,000 s/f building at 551 South St. in the Fore River Shipyard from Jay Cashman Inc. The aquarium will retrofit and expand the building for a new 23,000 s/f headquarters of its Marine Animal Rescue Team. The building will also act as an off-site holding facility for exhibit animals.
Construction will be completed in multiple phases. The rescue and rehab team plans to move into the building this fall. The new space will be used to rehabilitate stranded, injured, and diseased sharks, rays, endangered sea turtles, and aquatic birds found along the coasts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Future phases of construction will include holding tanks, offices and a necropsy room.
Jay Cashman will do subcontracting work on the project. Published reports list the projected construction cost at $3.5 million.