Glassy PLG Tower Bad News for Birds, Says Expert
Scores of migrating birds would smash into the glassy 23-story tower planned in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, on Lincoln Road and Flatbush Avenues, creating a mess on the crowded sidewalks below, said Prospect Park Audubon Center senior naturalist Gabriel Willow. He said adjacent Prospect Park, at 585 acres, is a popular resting place for birds along the…
Scores of migrating birds would smash into the glassy 23-story tower planned in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, on Lincoln Road and Flatbush Avenues, creating a mess on the crowded sidewalks below, said Prospect Park Audubon Center senior naturalist Gabriel Willow. He said adjacent Prospect Park, at 585 acres, is a popular resting place for birds along the Atlantic Flyway, and added that glass towers in Manhattan near smaller, less popular parks have been the death of hundreds of birds a year. “You’ll just find the ground littered with birds,” he said. Tom Gilman of Gilman Architects didn’t respond when asked if his design took migrating birds into consideration (the flock was added to the rendering). Meanwhile, developer Henry Herbst said he’s been busy polling the community about their preference for the ground floor retail compenent—so far, they’re leaning toward a bank and organic market, even though the short block already has two non-organic markets. Herbst said, “They claim there’s no organic foods in the area,” which is basically true. Cage-free hens, anyone?
Wings Meet Deadly Glass [NY Times]
Form Follows Feathers: Bird-Friendly Architecture [Architectural Record]
Lefferts Gardens Gets a Few New Arrivals [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]
Maybe we should cut down all the trees so the birds don’t hurt themselves.
The point is that birds can’t necessarily tell the difference between a tree on the other side of the glass and a tree reflected in the glass. Either way, they’re going for that tree.
1:22 – apparently you’re an expert so i’ll let you do the research for me. so where in your post did you refute my analysis? glass is a problem to birds b/c they see through and think that they can keep flying – wham! reflective glass is opaque – birds fly around. counterpoint now, einstein.
Don’t buy here, they don’t allow furniture!
more concerned about the bird poop in the window. cleaning’s a pain.
at least the western beef will now have some fresh meat
My neighbor once killed two birds with just one stone!
Affordable housing no… affordable free range geese for Thanksgiving dinner yes!
A brilliant design for 21st century living! In a crowded city, why not a transparent glass structure? Fuggeddaboutdaboyds. Residents put drapes in windows for opaqueness; and birds have brains too, if tiny, to know not to bash their heads into buildings. So don’t underestimate the social animals.