New York City is a dangerous place for birds.
For the second year in a row, a record number of migratory birds were killed after flying headfirst into the city’s nearly invisible skyline, the newspaper said. New York Post. At least 1,250 warblers, flickers and other birds died during their annual fall migration, surpassing last year’s grim record of nearly 1,000. And conservationists say the real toll is likely much higher, thanks to an unusually heavy migration season that sent thousands of extra birds through the five boroughs.
City Hall has come up with at least one answer: bird-friendly glass. In 2021, Local Law 15 came into effect, requiring most new buildings and major renovations to use bird-safe materials on 90 percent of their facade up to the first 23 meters, the danger zone where birds are most likely to collide with glass.
The idea is simple: make buildings visible to birds, so fewer will die. On paper it is difficult to say anything about that. Fewer dead birds is a clear win.
But the law also comes with a price tag, and that’s where the debate gets complicated. Jeff Blau of Related Companies recently pointed to an affordable housing project he is building in Willets Point, where meeting the bird glass requirement will cost about $2 million. Those additional costs, Blau argued, could otherwise go toward building more apartments. The development is subsidized by the city, he added, and thus helps pay the bill.
“The city is paying the money for bird glass instead of more affordable apartments,” Blau said at the NYU Schack capital markets conference last month. “It just doesn’t make much sense.”
It’s an uncomfortable trade-off. Saving wild animals is important. This also applies to building homes in a city with a chronic shortage. When the same public dollars fund both, it’s fair to ask whether the policy delivers the greatest bang for the buck.
Conservation advocates counter that prices for bird-friendly glass have fallen as demand has grown, and that the upfront costs could help building owners avoid expensive repairs due to bird strikes or the potential costs of updating existing buildings. The Council introduced a new bill in 2024 that will require most landlords to meet bird-friendly standards in existing buildings by 2030.
“It’s certainly a challenge in a city like this, where housing is so scarce and the need for affordable housing is so great,” said Jessica Wilson of NYC Bird Alliance. “There are many benefits to protecting birds and saving biodiversity, including improving human health and mental wellbeing.”
Glass is one of many threats to birds. Advocates support additional measures such as turning off unused lights at night to reduce bird deaths. Public education about lighting regulations or even investing in habitat restoration could arguably save more birds per dollar spent, but conservationists argue that these broader strategies do not replace the need for bird-friendly building measures.
“Birds and biodiversity are a crucial part of a sustainable and resilient city, and if you make the city better for wildlife, [you] make it healthier and also a better place for people,” Wilson said.
None of this is an argument against protecting wildlife. New York can love birds and build housing at the same time. The question is whether bird glass, as is currently required, is the smartest way to do both.
What we’re thinking about: AI speech analytics company Rilla this month signed a 57,000-square-foot lease for Global Holdings ’25 Kent in Williamsburg, in one of the largest office deals in the borough in the past year. Leases of that size are rare for Class A buildings in the borough, where last year’s largest purchases largely went into Class B and C towers. Could the AI boom finally boost Brooklyn’s top office market? Drop us a line at elizabeth.cryan@therealdeal.com with your thoughts.
Something we learned: Some people have a pet sitter. I know this because a listing recently popped up on my Instagram feed for a full-time nanny for a four-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo in my Brooklyn neighborhood. The link led to the employment agency’s profile page Housekeeping staffwhere I found multiple listings for pet sitting, both live-in and live-out.
Elsewhere…
– President Trump announced Friday that he has selected lawyer and former Fed official Kevin Warsh as the next central bank chairman, according to the New York Times. If confirmed, Warsh would replace Jerome Powell, who has faced attacks from Trump over his reluctance to cut rates more aggressively. Powell’s term as chairman ends in May.
-Mayor Zohran Mamdadara. reports The city. The software was intended to provide entrepreneurs with information about city regulations and other relevant information. Previous reports indicated that the chatbot provided incorrect information that could have led to companies making illegal decisions. Now Mamdani says his government is ending the program as part of cost savings.
Closing time
Residential: The highest residential deal recorded on Friday was $9.9 million for 211 West 84th Street, 5C. The Upper West Side apartment at The Henry is 3,400 square feet of new construction. Compass’ Alexa Lambert, Alison Black and Elizabeth Goss are credited.
Commercial: The best recorded commercial deal was $17.7 million for Steinwaystraat 35-25. The Astoria building has three units and is 18,400 square feet.
New on the market: The highest price for a home to hit the market was $23.9 million for 116 East 70th Street. The Lenox Hill townhome is 5,700 square feet. Sloane Square Vicki Warner has the entry.
Groundbreaking: The largest new building permit submitted was for a proposed 27,242-square-foot, eight-story, 10-family, mixed-use building at 717 Myrtle Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Nikolai Katz Architect is the registered applicant.
— Joseph Jungerman
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