Here’s when the Balboa Park Botanical Building is set to reopen
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The years-long, $21 million renovation of Balboa Park's crown jewel Botanical Building is coming to its close.
The iconic greenhouse has been shuttered since 2022, when city crews broke ground on the project to update the building and its surrounding gardens. The two-phase project is the most extensive refurbishment to the more than century-old conservatory since the 1950s.
Over the last two years, Balboa Park visitors have seen the Botanical Building through each phase of the exhaustive construction work — from being stripped down to its steel bones to remove decaying parts of its structure to the restoration of the building's original cupola.
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While the inside has been roped off to the public, city officials have given several sneak peeks along the way , showing how the new and improved conservatory was taking shape. And early next month, parkgoers will finally be able to visit in person.
"We are inching closer to the reopening of the #BalboaPark Botanical Building! The structure is still closed to the public as staff add the final touches. The building is set to reopen early December," the city of San Diego said in a post on Instagram Thursday.
An exact date for the grand reopening has not been announced, but it appears the city is hoping to get the Botanical Building back open to the public in time for the annual Balboa Park holiday event, December Nights. The event takes place on Friday, Dec. 6 and Saturday, Dec. 7.
City crews are also still in the midst of the second phase of the two-pronged renovation project, which focuses on the gardens surrounding the greenhouse.
When it opens, Forever Balboa Park, the nonprofit caretaker of San Diego's landmark park, said it hopes to introduce a handful of new programs at the building centered on horticulture, as well as offer opportunities for performances and other events.
"Our City crews are bringing new life into this gorgeous building, preserving its history for future generations," San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said on Instagram after receiving a tour last month. "I'm looking forward to seeing this landmark fully restored and ready for the public to enjoy."
