PORT ANGELES — The Feiro Marine Life Center is just a couple months away from breaking ground for its new building.
During a presentation to the Port Angeles Kiwanis Club on Thursday at Jazzy Joshua’s, Feiro Executive Director Melissa Williams said the ceremonial groundbreaking has been scheduled for 3 p.m. April 8 at the construction site location near Pebble Beach Park. A party will follow at Field Arts & Events Hall, 201 W. Front St.
Feiro has been in a Port Angeles city-owned building on City Pier since it opened in 1981, Williams said. The center has outgrown the available space in that building.
In 2023, a fundraising campaign for a new building was launched and that campaign has raised just more than $24 million. The estimated cost for the building is about $34 million, Williams said. Staff expect to have an additional $6 million in the next two years.
Construction of the new building is in partnership with the NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Williams said.
“We partnered with them because we have similar goals,” she said.
A new name has been chosen for the building, she said, but it’s a secret right now.
“I’m not allowed to share the building name until late March, but it’s something that connects us all,” Williams said.
The new building will be on the Arts, Sciences and Culture Campus on the west end next to Field Arts & Events Hall. Feiro staff is working with the city to be sure people who use the waterfront trail, walk by on the street and drive by will be able to access the facility.
“Most of the design is done,” Williams said.
Hanging from the lobby ceiling will be a life-size sculpture of Big Mama, a humpback whale that has brought many of her whale calfs through the Salish Sea. The sculpture will be visible through the east-side windows of the building to hopefully catch the eye of those passing by.
The new facility will be split into three sections. The western section will be for public exhibits in about 8,000 square feet. The Learning Center, covering about 2,400 square feet, will be on the north half of the eastern section with triple the capacity of the current building and including indoor and outdoor classrooms. The south half of the eastern section will house the pumping systems required for keeping species alive in their habitats.
The community lobby will be free with exhibits and information about whales, Williams said.
The new facility will maintain the biodiverse collection Feiro is known for while adding new animals. Feiro staff are working with other marine life facilities, such as the Seattle Aquarium and the Alaska SeaLife Center, to bring tufted puffins to Feiro.
Tufted puffins come to the area in the summer to breed on islands and are very hard to spot in the wild, Williams said. The puffins, which will be at Feiro, will not be from the wild but from other marine life facilities.
Feiro staff plan to conduct much more ocean science and research, even using underwater robotics, which will help remove derelict crab pots.
With more space available, the Learning Center will expand its number of programs for all ages.
With a contractor selected, but not officially announced, construction on the building is expected to begin this summer.
Feiro Project Coordinator Anna Sanders joined Williams during the presentation and provided more information about the transition plan for the center to move from its current location to the new facility.
The current facility has six full-time staff members, five part-time staff members and one seasonal staff member. With the larger facility, Feiro plans to increase staffing to 20-22 total employees, including 14 full-time staff members.
Feiro staff are expecting the number of annual visitors to increase to 75,000, Sanders said.
This year, Feiro will focus on bringing on consultants for conservation and education strategic planning. In 2027, staff will focus on hiring an education and volunteer director while working with area partners to expand programs and hiring additional staff.
In 2028, Feiro plans to launch the new education programs in the new building. The programs will include field studies, community science programs, high school and middle school engagement programs and after-school programs.
________
Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
