The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (CZA) Animal Hospital, the Dr. C. Joseph Cross Animal Health Center, is an approximate 8,900 square foot facility built and equipped in 1990 at the cost of $2,000,000. In 1990, the Columbus Zoo maintained an animal collection of roughly 1,775 specimens and 385 species and hosted 1 million visitors per year. Today, the Zoo is home to over 10,000 animals representing over 600 species and sees over 2.3 million visitors annually.

There have been many advances in medicine and technology as well as expectations for care in the last 25 years. Conservation programs and research projects continue to grow in all aspects of zoological medicine, as well as exotic animal husbandry subjects such as nutrition, management and reproduction.

This study looked at the development of a state-of-the-art Animal Hospital, Research Facility, Necropsy Building, and Quarantine Facility. As such, consideration was given to renovating the existing Animal Hospital as well as the construction of a new Animal Hospital. This study presented these two basic options from a programmatic, functional and cost perspective based on a 25-year down the road look ahead.