Image: Work is expected to start later this year

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced new funding towards New York Aquarium's new Ocean Wonders: Sharks! development in Coney Island, US.

Bloomberg - along with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) president and CEO Cristián Samper - also unveiled designs for the project, which have been drawn up by The Portico Group.

The city's Public Design Commission backed plans for the 57,000sq ft (5,295sq m) facility earlier this month, which will feature sharks, rays, sea turtles and thousands of fish.

WCS trustee Barbara Hrbek Zucker and husband Don Zucker have donated US$7.5m (EUR6m, £4.8m) towards the public-private development, details of which were first announced in 2009.

The city will invest US$93.1m (EUR75m, £59.1m) in the scheme, with WCS - operator of the aquarium - looking to raise US$34.4m (EUR27.7m, £21.8m) in private funding.

Bloomberg said: "The exciting expansion and renovation of the New York Aquarium has been a vital part of our efforts to revive Coney Island.

"The project is going to make the Aquarium much more visible and visually exciting to Coney Island's thousands of visitors - from those strolling the Boardwalk to others visiting the Aquarium itself."

Work is due to start on Ocean Wonders: Sharks! during the third quarter, with completion scheduled for 2015.

Click here for more information about the new designs and funding for New York Aquarium's Ocean Wonders: Sharks! development.

Image: The Portico Group