O’Donnell/Snider Construction (OSC) served as the construction manager for the Houston Zoo Headquarters, a 145,925-square-foot, five-story corporate headquarters and parking structure designed to support the Zoo’s growing operational needs while enhancing the visitor experience at one of Houston’s most beloved destinations.
Located within Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center district, the new facility serves a dual purpose by consolidating Houston Zoo administrative operations into a modern workplace environment while also providing structured parking that reduces demand on public parking resources for the nearly two million guests who visit the Zoo annually.
The ground-up construction project features administrative offices, executive suites, conference rooms, employee collaboration spaces, break areas, and a dedicated multimedia production studio. The facility was designed to improve operational efficiency, foster collaboration among staff, and support the Zoo’s long-term growth and conservation initiatives.
Sustainability was a key component of the project’s design and construction. Environmental features include an above-ground water storage system, rainwater harvesting infrastructure, and an employee garden supported by a cistern-based irrigation system. These sustainable design elements contribute to the facility’s goal of achieving LEED Silver Certification, reflecting the Houston Zoo’s commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible resource management.
Constructing a major new facility within an active zoo environment presented unique challenges requiring extensive logistics planning and stakeholder coordination. As one of Houston’s most visited attractions, the Zoo remained fully operational throughout construction while animal care activities continued daily. OSC developed and executed a detailed construction logistics plan to maintain safe visitor circulation, protect animal habitats, coordinate material deliveries, and minimize disruptions to Zoo operations.
Through early collaboration with project stakeholders, careful sequencing, and proactive communication, OSC successfully delivered the project while supporting ongoing Zoo operations, guest experiences, and animal welfare.
As a leading Houston general contractor, OSC delivers ground-up construction, headquarters construction, parking garage construction, sustainable building projects, and complex occupied campus developments. The Houston Zoo Headquarters showcases OSC’s expertise in delivering large-scale new construction projects within active environments where operational continuity, safety, and stakeholder coordination are critical to success.
The completed headquarters provides the Houston Zoo with a modern, sustainable workplace and expanded parking capacity that will support its mission, staff, visitors, and conservation efforts for decades to come.
