LETTER: In Bird City, tall condo building must have bird-friendly glass

To Ozaukee Press:

That was great coverage in last week’s Ozaukee Press introducing the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory to the City of Port Washington. They are welcomed with open arms as we are a designated Bird City.          

In the same issue, the news story about a turkey hen crashing through an upper-story window of the library, resulting in its death, noted that the windows have an anti-glare film. But nonetheless, there was one dead bird and one damaged window.

Now, let’s turn to the three-story glass building being constructed on our lakefront. Ansay Development has assured the Plan Commission that they are committed to using bird-friendly glass. In a very early conversation with the developer, it was stated the glass would be used on the first level, as studies showed birds do not make contact with glass above that level. Too bad that turkey hen didn’t have that information.

Numerous articles in  Living Bird magazine and other publications regarding tall glass structures tell a different story.  The Fiserv Forum was applauded for its construction using bird-friendly glass. On the other hand, the U.S. Bank stadium in Minnesota is now having terrible collisions issues that called for the action to retrofit its windows with bird-friendly glass.

Let’s be sure to once again ask Ansay Development to assure Port’s citizens that all glass used in the construction of the Newport Shores condominium building will be bird friendly. Are they willing to submit their purchase orders or invoices to assure all of us that this is how they are proceeding? I think we should ask for nothing less.

Geri Zehren
Port Washington