A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new attraction at the

Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium on Coney Island has taken place, marking the beginning of the redevelopment of the aquarium after it was delayed by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

The 57,000sq ft (5,300sq m) Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit will house more than 115 species of marine wildlife, including - amongst other creatures - sharks, rays, sea turtles and thousands of schooling fish. Showcasing the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) marine conservation work, it will hold more than 500,000 gallons of water (1.9m ltr) in fully immersive and interactive exhibits.

The building's façade on the oceanside will include a 1,100ft (335m) long shimmer wall constructed of 33,000 individual 4in x 5 1/2in (10cm x 14cm) aluminum panels which will wrap the exterior.

Ocean Wonders: Sharks! is part of a wider initiative announced in 2009 to help revitalise the aquarium, Coney Island and its economy. Other elements of the scheme include the building of a holding and quarantine area for the aquarium's sharks, sea turtles, and other marine wildlife, along with the renovation of Conservation Hall and Glover's Reef, which opened in 2011.

Led by WCS vice president of planning and design and chief architect, Susan A. Chin, the building and the exhibit are being designed in a collaboration between the WCS's design department, The Portico Group and their consultant team including Doyle Partners and the artist of the shimmer wall, Ned Kahn.

Completion is scheduled for 2016, with the City of New York having committed US$111m (£68m) of funding to the US$157.1m (£96m) capital cost of the project.