MBC is beary excited to celebrate Carey Bear Country - Grand Opening!
Bear with us…we’ve been waiting a long time to share this one. Francis J. Carey Bear Country is officially open at Philadelphia Zoo!
This unbelievable and beloved habitat started renovations in February 2025 and landed with an exciting ribbon-cutting on June 4. Through it all, MBC worked with an incredible team of owners, zoo staff, designers, builders, trade partners, donors, and consultants to bring this vision to life.
Today, visitors can experience a state-of-the-art habitat featuring natural climbing structures, immersive viewing opportunities, and thoughtfully designed spaces that support both bear enrichment and guest engagement. The project also included improvements to neighboring Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point, creating even more opportunities for guests to connect with wildlife and conservation efforts throughout the Zoo.MBC was honored to serve as Construction Manager on a project that will create meaningful experiences for families, support the Zoo’s mission, and help inspire future generations of conservationists.
As CM, we had the unique opportunity to help bring these spaces to life while working within an active Zoo environment. From bear and penguin habitats with specialized features and guest-facing improvements, this project challenged our team in all the best ways and showcased what can happen when strong partnerships come together around a shared vision.
A special shoutout to our MBC Zoo Crew - Sam Cellucci, Chris Fernes, Shea Tomlinson Gregory, John Weiland, Regina Ennis, Aubrey McDonald, Joshua Gonzalez, Jared Applegate, Matthew Coleman, and Jeff Graef for helping guide this project from groundbreaking to grand opening.
Thank you to Philadelphia Zoo, PGAV Architects, Dan Bosin Associates, WholeTrees Structures, our trade partners, and the many organizations and individuals who helped make this project possible. Your craftsmanship, collaboration, and commitment helped turn a vision into reality. And to everyone who helped bring neighboring Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point to life, thank you for helping this project waddle its way to the finish line.
The bears have officially moved in, the penguins are settling into their updated home, the gates are open, and we couldn’t be more excited to see visitors experience these spaces for years to come. We can BEAR-ly contain our excitement.#buildingontrust#mbcbuilds#philadelphiazoo#welcometothembcfamily#careybearcountry#conservationmatters#aza#partnership
Philadelphia Zoo, Dan Bosin Associates, PGAV Architects, PGAV Destinations, WholeTrees® Structures, EC Fence & Iron Works, Inc., John J Dougherty & Son, Healy Long & Jevin, Inc, Mar-Allen, Guthrie Glass & Metal Corporation, West Chester Mechanical Contractors, INC., CurrentMaster Electric, LLC., EDA Contractors, Inc., Philadelphia Carpentry Systems, Nets Unlimited Inc, Arena Maintenance Solutions, DiDonato Contracting, General Masonry & Restoration Inc., and OLIVER SPRINKLER OLIVER SPRINKLER
