Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is raising walls on a $60.9 million conservatory complex in downtown Sarasota that will shield about 20,000 plant specimens from hurricanes.

Vertical construction is underway on Phase Two of the gardens' master plan, President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki announced at an Aug. 13 botanical briefing where nearly every seat was filled. The project, which broke ground Dec. 2, 2025, is on track to open in November 2028.

"We have begun vertical construction and have secured financing needed for this over $60 million project," Rominiecki said at the briefing, reported by SRQ Daily. "More than 98% is privately funded."

Polycarbonate Panels Replace Traditional Greenhouse Glass

The centerpiece is a 32,605-square-foot conservatory that Selby Gardens calls the world's first hurricane preserve complex. It uses polycarbonate panels instead of conventional greenhouse glass, a lighter material that requires less structural support. The system was tested under simulated hurricane conditions in 2026, and the gardens are seeking trademark protection for the design, which they call the Selby System, Sarasota Magazine reported.

Phase Two also includes a 2,760-square-foot learning pavilion and new gardens and landscaping.

New Complex Will Reveal Hidden Plant Collections

The conservatory will solve a visibility problem. Right now, visitors can see less than 5% of Selby Gardens' living research collections. The new complex will put nearly all of them on public display. Selby Gardens is the only botanical garden in the world focused on epiphytes, plants such as orchids, ferns and bromeliads that grow on other plants to reach sunlight.

While construction continues, the collection has been moved to an undisclosed location, Your Observer reported on Aug. 27. The gardens remain open to visitors throughout the build, with only the Phase Two footprint fenced off. The welcome center, restaurant, exhibition program and bayfront access all continue to operate.

Rominiecki told Your Observer in late August that the 2024 hurricane season helped the community understand the urgency of protecting the collections. "Phase 2 is all about resilience for our living collections as well as for our educational facilities . . ." she said.

Bond Sale Completes $60.9 Million Funding Goal

Financing came together through a $41.9 million tax-exempt bond sale completed in July 2026. The offering drew orders from 15 investors totaling roughly 10 times the bonds available, according to Sarasota Magazine. As of Aug. 11, the gardens had raised $59.7 million of their $60.9 million fundraising goal. Combined with Phase One, total fundraising for the master plan exceeds $127 million, with 99% from private donors.

Phase One Earned Architecture, Sustainability Awards

Phase One opened in January 2024 and earned the 2025 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum. It also received Living Building Challenge Petal certification in May 2026, making Selby Gardens the world's first net-positive energy botanical garden complex. Sarasota firm Sweet Sparkman Architecture & Interiors leads the Phase Two design alongside landscape studio OLIN and general contractor Willis Smith Construction.

Final Phase Will Restore Historic Buildings

Selby Gardens draws more than 330,000 visitors a year to its 15-acre downtown campus at 1534 Mound St. and its 30-acre Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey, according to the Business Observer. The gardens remain open during construction. Once Phase Two is complete, a third and final phase will restore the campus's two principal historic buildings, connect walking paths and strengthen seawalls along Sarasota Bay.