The Woodland Park Zoo’s all-new, sustainably designed West Entrance opens to the public on May 1, replacing the current North and West Entrances.

The new entrance is set back from Phinney Avenue North between North 55th Street and North 56th Street. A landscaped path leads visitors to the new Bank of America Commons, a welcoming space for groups to gather in the West Entrance before embarking on their zoo adventure.

The commons features state-of-the-art soundscaping with real audio samples from Woodland Park Zoo animals.

The 58,000-square-foot West Entrance complex also contains ticketing booths, family restrooms, member and visitor services, a coffee cart and a second ZooStore location.

As part of Woodland Park Zoo’s ongoing commitment to green practices, the new West Entrance is targeting Silver certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building certification system, according to a zoo press release.

Sustainable highlights of the project include energy-efficient building design, covered bicycle parking and more than 48,000 square feet of enhanced landscaping, featuring 80 new trees to increase the overall zoo canopy.

Additionally, the rainwater infiltration system built for the new entrance will prevent the runoff of approximately 975,000 gallons of stormwater a year, reducing the chance of overflow from the combined sewer system into local waterways, including Puget Sound, according to the press release.

“Our guests’ experience was the most important factor when it came to designing this new entrance,” Dr. Deborah Jensen, zoo president and CEO, said in the press release. “For too long, a busy day would find our guests and members waiting in line for up to 45 minutes. With the added efficiencies in the new West Entrance, waiting times will be cut down to no more than 5 minutes.”

It is expected that nearly half of the zoo’s 1 million annual visitors will enter through this new entrance, while the other half will continue to use the South Entrance located at North 50th Street and Fremont Avenue North. The South Entrance will also be updated to improve wait times and accommodate convenient member access, according to the press release.

The $7.5 million project, phase two of the $14 million penguin/West Entrance project, was designed by the Seattle architectural firm Weinstein A|U and landscape architects SiteWorkshop and constructed by Unimark Construction Group. The entrance was funded entirely through private support and made possible thanks in part to a $1 million grant by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

Visitors can explore the new West Entrance and its features when it opens to the public on May 1 with festivities including live music and giveaways. A revamped Adaptations Building featuring the return of meerkats to the zoo after a 10-year absence will also open to the public on May 1.