DETROIT – The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle will undergo $10 million in renovations in mid-November.
Starting Nov. 14, the final phase of the conservatory’s revitalization of the upper 60 feet of the 80-foot-tall glass dome will be underway.
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The park was granted $7.5 million of federal relief funding out of the $250 million that was distributed to parks across the state. An additional $2.5 million in donations were raised by the conservatory. Earlier in the project, lead paint was removed from the conservatory as well as 20 glass and upper steel structural members that supported the upper dome (also known as the Palm House). This phase was completed in 2019. The ventilation system in the conservatory was also updated.
“Major renovations are needed to stabilize the building to keep the conservatory open for the next century,” said Amanda Treadwell, urban field planner for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “Although construction will temporarily close this popular attraction, the scope of work is critical to the structural integrity of the dome, public safety and improved conditions for the plant collection.”
The Belle Isle Aquarium and conservatory first opened in 1904 and was designed by iconic Detroit architect Albert Kahn. The conservatory is known as being the nation’s oldest glass house.
The outdoor gardens at the conservatory is expected to reopen in May 2023 and the conservatory to reopen in May 2024.
Related: Here is what the Michigan DNR is doing with the nearly $16M it received to upgrade state parks
To check out updates on the parks project, click here.