For Release: November 16, 2007
Denver, CO – The magnificent Grand Teton National Park is home to both breathtaking scenic views and an architecturally inspired new visitor center that recently opened its doors in Moose, Wyoming. The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center provides nearly 19,500 square feet of space for orienting and educating visitors all year round. As rugged as it is striking, the building has been designed to connect humans with nature, and to withstand extreme weather conditions for the next 100 years.
Designed to mimic the Teton mountain range, the angular building houses offices and nearly 4,800 square feet of innovative, interactive exhibits that showcase four themes—people, place, protection and mountaineering. Among the highlights are an automated laser animation of a three-dimensional park model showing glacier movement and wildlife migration, park memorabilia, animal displays, and a 30-foot-high mountaineering wall. The Center also includes a 900 square-foot art gallery, historic artifacts, and a bookstore. A unique “video river”—depicting images of the Tetons—continuously streams beneath interior walkways.
Consulting firm PBS&J provided construction management services for the project, which included acting as the National Park Service's representative and advocate during all construction activities. PBS&J served as an active liaison between architects Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and builders Intermountain Construction during all phases of the project. This was particularly challenging because of the complexity of the architectural design.
“PBS&J was instrumental in helping us create the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center,” said Chris Finlay, Chief of Facility Management at Grand Teton National Park and NPS Project Manager. “With their construction oversight, we have built an educational center that helps visitors learn about the park’s cultural and natural resources. We hope all who come here will be inspired to become stewards of this incredible ecosystem.”
The Visitor Center, named in honor of park champion and recently deceased state Senator Craig Thomas, was dedicated on August 11, 2007 in a public ceremony. Speakers included Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and National Park Service Director Mary Bomar. Vice President Dick Cheney also attended.
The Center, which cost $18 million, was funded through a public/private partnership between the National Park Service, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation (GTNPF), and the Grand Teton Association. The funding model used for the Center has become the prototype for other projects that are part of the NPS Centennial Initiative, a 10-year program launched in 2006 by Interior Secretary Kempthorne, which will culminate in the 100th anniversary of the NPS in 2016.
“It was a complex project, but the final result surpasses all efforts, “said Dennis McMullen, PBS&J Senior Construction Manager. Among the challenges was the installation of an angled wall of glass measuring approximately 140 feet wide by 30 feet high that had to fit precisely with the irregular saw-tooth roof.
PBS&J (www.pbsj.com) is an employee-owned firm that provides infrastructure planning, engineering, construction management, environmental consulting, urban planning, architecture, and program management services to public and private clients. The firm is ranked by Engineering News-Record as 25th among the nation’s top consulting firms. PBS&J has over 4,000 employees and 75 offices throughout the United States and abroad.
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