OKC's Crystal Bridge to get $9.1M makeover
The Crystal Bridge at the Myriad Gardens is closing next spring for the first complete makeover of the botanical garden since it opened 32 years ago.
A $ 2.5 million pledge by The Inasmuch Foundation, announced Thursday, kicks off a capital campaign to pay for a $9.1 million renovation of the Crystal Bridge that will include a more diverse plant collection and interactive educational exhibits.
Over the past decade, the outdoor gardens and the visitor lobby underwent an extensive makeover as part of Project 180, while bond money approved by voters paid for replacing the glass panels on the 13,000- square- foot tube that spans the Myriad Gardens lake.
Maureen Heffernan, Myriad Gardens Foundation director, said the Crystal Bridge, first built in the early
1980s at the start of the oil bust, is due for a similar makeover.
“What you're seeing now is almost as it was in 1981,” Heffernan said. “We're putting history pictures together and seeing this thing was built over five years. They didn't have all the money so they had to start and stop. And it hasn't changed much at all since 1988. They did the best they could with what they had. This is the last big mixing piece of the puzzle that will bring the Myriad Botanical Gardens to a world class level.”
The $2.5 million gift is part of ongoing support from the Inasmuch Foundation, which funded the first phase of improvements creating lower-level classroom space for use by John Rex Middle School and a new horticulture classroom.
“The Crystal Bridge at Myriad Botanical Gardens is such a recognizable structure in downtown Oklahoma City,” said Bob Ross, chairman and CEO of Inasmuch Foundation. “When I learned of plans for reimagining the tropical plant conservatory to create a superb visitor experience, I knew Inasmuch Foundation would want to support this initiative. The second phase of the Crystal Bridge renovation capitalizes on the momentum of current downtown development.”
As the centerpiece of the Gardens, the Crystal Bridge is home to thousands of tropical and desert plants divided into two distinct climates: wet and dry. The renovation will update aging infrastructure, allow for a more diverse plant collection with both permanent and rotating exhibits, as well as new and enhanced water elements, circulation paths and sitting areas.
Heffernan said the renovation will include changes to the waterfall and rock formations. A terrace feature will overlook the conservatory and educational programming and venue space. Improved accessibility, including an elevator, will enable people of all ages and physical abilities to fully enjoy the space.
Heffernan said other improvements will include a museum-quality gift shop. Space will be rearranged to allow for special events and weddings to take place inside the Crystal Bridge.
“This is a real gut renovation,” Heffernan said. “We're taking out just about everything. It's a to-thestuds renovation and it will be quite thorough.”
That means the palm trees will be going away to be replaced with new plantings. Other smaller plantings might be sold and others will be stored at other area greenhouses to be brought back when the renovation is completed in mid-2022.
Heffernan is aware the palm trees are a prominent part of the tropical gardens.
“The palm trees, once they get too tall, you have to
replace them,” Heffernan said. “It will look like a younger garden. But tropical plants grow pretty quickly, a lot faster than a lot of plants.” Heffernan said the renovation will allow for rotating garden displays. About 70,000 people visit annually — a number she believes will go up once the renovation is complete.
“We're making it so you will want to make repeat visits throughout the year,” Heffernan said. “We will have beds where we will be changing out plants and there will always be plants blooming with a lot of color. There will be holiday displays. It will be a place to take out of town guests.”
When the Crystal Bridge reopens, it will be part of a still changing downtown expected to draw an increasing number of local and out-of-state visitors.
“An updated and more engaging Conservatory will help attract visitors from all of the major downtown developments near the Gardens including Scissortail Park and the Convention Center and Omni Hotel,” Heffernan said. “This investment will further strengthen the Gardens' standing as one of the premier cultural attractions in Oklahoma City.”