Local dignitaries and university officials gathered on the University of Washington (UW) Bothell campus on September 9, 2011 for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Sarah Simonds Green Conservatory. The Conservatory—which will include a classroom, a greenhouse, and flex space—will be located at the edge of the campus wetlands restoration area. Sustainability plays a key role in this project, and the Conservatory is expected to foster a strong connection between the wetlands and the academic program.
 
Otak, which has managed all civil engineering on the Bothell campus since 1995, collaborated with THA Architecture as a subconsultant to provide permitting/entitlement, site planning, and civil engineering for the Conservatory.
 
The project was made possible by a generous contribution from Dr. Gordon Green, who wanted to create a conservatory and greenhouse that’s both accessible to the public and dedicated to the legacy of his pioneering family. The Conservatory is named for Dr. Green’s mother, Sarah Simonds Green.
 
Both the Simonds and Green families played prominent roles in Bothell's history. In 1912, Sarah Simonds was a member of Bothell High School’s first graduating class. Her father, Henry Simonds, was the high school’s founder and first principal.