What's happening?
According to the Houston Zoo website, Jack's Café will be a brand new guest experience at the entrance of the zoo. Located on the site of the former sea lion habitat, the cafe will serve a variety of treats, as well as provide seating for 165 guests with family restrooms and a nursing facility on site.
The second floor of the space will include a large event venue that overlooks the new Galápagos Islands exhibit and Reflection Pool. The website states that the new event hall and terrace will be approximately 4,286 square feet. Visitors will be able to reserve the private indoor-outdoor space for seated events for up to 150 people and cocktail-style events for up to 300 people.
Jacks Café and the John P. and Katherine G. McGovern Reflections Event Hall and Terrace are named after longtime zoo patrons, John P. McGovern, also known as Jack, and his wife, Katherine G. McGovern, who, according to the website, have been transformational supporters of the Houston Zoo.
To support the zoo's mission for animal conservation, the new building will be glazed with bird-friendly glass to protect the local wildlife and will be constructed out of sustainably harvested timber, as well as come equipped with an 18,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system that will collect rainwater from the building's roof to irrigate the surrounding landscape.
Jack's Café will also compost food scraps from both the back-of-house kitchen and guest dining areas, according to the website.
The Houston Zoo started construction in late March to restore the historical colonnade, a project that will include redesigning the structure to its original midcentury-modern design, according to project details.
The Colonnade and Reflection Pool were originally built in 1951 in a minimalist style of midcentury architecture. According to Architectural Digest, midcentury-modern architecture was a style in the middle decades of the 20th century and included the use of steel, concrete and insulated glass. The design usually involved open flowing spaces, minimal ornamentation and sleek, clean lines.
Redesigning the Colonnade will include removing the colorful tiles and metalwork added in the early 2000s, resurfacing the pillars and ensuring the roof drains rainwater effectively. Construction on the Colonnade started in late March and will go through June.
During construction, the pathway to the right of Reflection Pool, next to Flamingo Terrace and Birds of the World, will be closed along with the Reflection Pool. Detour signs will be placed throughout the zoo.
Jack's Café & Reflections Event Hall and Terrace is anticipated to open this summer.
- Opening in summer
- 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston
- www.houstonzoo.org
