The Conservatory opens soon/limited public hours

September 19, 2005

The Conservatory, a gift from the Richard J. Fitton family of Hamilton, will open soon with limited hours. A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, at 4:30pm in conjunction with the Butler County Chamber Caucus Business After Hours and sponsored by First Financial. Reservations are required. Please contact the Hamilton Chamber at 513-844-1500.

The Conservatory is a $3.5 million gift from the Richard J. Fitton family of Hamilton. The Conservatory is unique, in not only its architectural beauty, but it will house the largest fully documented academic collection of exotic plants in the area. In addition, the exterior grounds will be a celebration of Ohio’s native plants.

The 7,000 square foot multi-use facility, which was designed by Woolpert LLP of Cincinnati, consists of educational, research and public display components with about 5,200 square feet under glass. Within the building, 4,200 square feet will be used for botanical displays and meeting space. The remaining 2,800 square feet will be used for instruction, research, and service purposes. A plaza and formal gardens enhance the entrance to The Conservatory.

Architectural Highlights
The Conservatory features a unique, hipped octagonal design of the atrium roof. Also unique is the all-aluminum structure integrated into the masonry design and construction. Visitors will step into five different environmental control zones capable of maintaining independent temperatures and humidities for various plant collections or research. One zone is specifically designed for horticultural and botanical research with supplemental lighting and maximized growing plant table area. With 11,000 square feet of glass installed, an automatic shade system, which can be controlled based on time, temperature, or light influence. Local artist John Maggard created the panels adorning the outside of the building.