Atrium arriving from Belgium
By Loreen Berlin
The City of Buena Park is looking forward to a Butterfly Palladium in late spring of 2019, home to thousands of butterflies.
The atrium for the butterflies is being constructed in Belgium, to arrive in Buena Park in pieces and be installed by the Belgian company.
There will be butterflies and a bee colony, along with lavish waterfalls and walkways and the flight of the Monarch butterfly will be available for 3-D viewing.
An aquarium for jellyfish will be the largest in the world and the atrium is also being constructed as the largest in the world.
The new attraction is taking over the long-standing Movieland Wax Museum area that opened in May 1962 and stood for many years at 7711-7733 Beach Blvd. Eventually, Starbucks, in the same area, whose lease is expiring, will also be torn down to make way for the new venture.
The former Movieland Wax Museum sign will also be removed. The lights inside the atrium will change colors and the Butterfly Palladium sign outside with butterflies will also change colors.
The atrium is set for arrival this year and could be ready for installation by summer 2018 or from Jan. through June 2019.
Walls around the outside of the 56,00 square foot building are currently being constructed of concrete blocks and the atrium glass will be made of a specially-designed glazing.
There will also be some retail and educational areas about butterflies and a view of butterflies emerging from their cocoons, and of course butterfly souvenirs for purchase.
A Bee Colony, in a glass enclosure, will be in a separate room next to the butterflies and a 299-seat 3-D theatre will also be educational.
The Butterfly Palladium, with a total of 56,000 square feet, is taking in not only the former Movieland Wax Museum footage, but the former PoFolks Restaurant of 8,150 square feet and the 2,369 square feet of the Starbucks.
Economic Development Administrator Ruben Lopez said the development concept is a 56,000 square foot entertainment venue that includes 22,200 square feet of live butterflies and hummingbirds, a rainforest atrium, and a large aquarium. A e-D movie theatre is planned. Party rooms, a cafe, and a retail shop and approximately 8,000 square feet of restaurant space plus 1,000 square feet of patio dining area or another entertainment venue to be approved by the city and approximately 400 parking spaces.
When completed, the Butterfly Palladium from outside will resemble a long glass structure of colorful lights illuminated from the interior.
Lopez said the project was designed by Brissette Architects Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona, with assistance from AMK Studio, which has offices in Irvine. “The general contractor for the project is Acon Development Inc. from Los Angeles.”
