We couldn’t be more thrilled about the success of our efforts to raise funds to build a biobank and marine lab in Tela. As I write this post, we have raised and astonishing $86,000 in less than a year. At the same time as we are feeling so much gratitude, we are also feeling an urgency to build the facility as fast as we can.

There’s a type of oceanic system called El Niño on the way. This system has global implications. In some places, like Texas where I live, it means a reprieve from drought-like conditions. But in the Caribbean, it has the potential to bring a heat wave. This El Niño is predicted to be one of the strongest yet.

Coupled with already elevated ocean temperatures, we fear that this year may set new records for ocean temperatures, and with that, coral bleaching.  So even though we are still in the midst of fundraising, we’ve started to build.

As we wrote in a previous post, the tanks (also known as raceways) for the coral have already been fabricated and delivered to our partner, Tela Marine.

We’ve received initial renderings of the facility from the architect. Although they’ve already undergone some changes in response to feedback from our advisors, we’re posting them here so you can get an idea of what we’re planning.

In addition to housing Tela’s resilient corals in the tanks at ground level, the facility will will include a walkway with a viewing area and touch tank so that visitors can learn about the importance of Tela’s corals.

The facility will also have a small store where visitors can buy drinks and snacks, which will help fund operations. This area will include a video, on loop, about the work that’s going on at the facility.

(Note: We’ve had some comments from people who have seen these renderings at concerts about hurricane preparedness as we build out the facility. We are working on a full post to explain how we are addressing these concerns. Stay tuned.)

Ultimately, we envision the facility as a welcome center to the Bay. We share the philosophy with our partners at Tela Marine that conservation is really about people’s hearts and so our facility needs to have an educational and emotional component as well as a scientific one.

A lot of what’s been happening with the site development has been occurring in the background. Our partners at Tela Marine have had to spend time working on permits from the city, figuring out what needs to happen to hook up water and electricity, and even doing basic jobs like building a gate so that construction equipment can access the site.

But now…drum roll…construction is underway! We broke ground! The team has been moving palm trees to create a buffer against storms along the beach. They are in the midst of putting in a seawall a meter and a half deep and another meter and half high as well as a large cistern to further protect against storms. Right now, it looks like rebar, cement and sand, but it’s the foundation we need for everything else to happen.

We’ll keep you updated as construction continues! And if you are interested in donating, here’s the link.