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A rendering of the new Penguin Chill at the ABQ BioPark.

Albuquerque-based HB Construction will be the general contractor behind the city’s new $12 million penguin exhibit at the BioPark, the Mayor’s Office announced Monday.

The city issued a request for proposal last month and reviewed two offers. HB Construction was the “highest scoring responsive” offer, according to a statement.

HB Construction is one of the largest privately owned construction companies in New Mexico, with a portfolio that includes the new Bernalillo High School campus, the UNM Health Science Business Center and the Albuquerque Museum of Art & History.

A spokeswoman for HB Construction said the company was “really excited to be part of the process of bringing penguins to Albuquerque.”

The penguin exhibit is expected to take nearly a year to finish; construction will begin this month. It will include the creation of a utili

ty corridor for easier access to water, sewer, gas and electric lines – part of the BioPark’s master plan.

Much of the project’s funding will come from the gross receipts tax voters approved in October 2015, with additional money coming from the New Mexico BioPark society.

In a statement, Mayor Richard Berry called the new exhibit an investment in the city’s infrastructure.