Rhodes Tower Modernization

As indicated in a previous post, live streaming of the peregrine falcon nest at the Rhodes State Office Tower via The Ohio Channel will end this month.  However, the Division of Wildlife remains committed to providing a view to the Columbus peregrines and is actively working to not only investigate a new streaming service, but also plans to incorporate camera upgrades prior to the 2018 nesting season.  But there is twist!  The Rhodes Tower is about to undergo an upgrade of its own!  

Plans are underway for a construction project that will help modernize the Rhodes Tower. The project will include increasing energy efficiency by adding insulation and new window systems as well as façade improvements.  A project like this is no small undertaking—building managers and planners have an enormous list of considerations to address.  One factor unique to this project is that building management is also considering the impacts to the peregrine falcons that have nested on the building since the early 1990s.  They enjoy hosting the peregrines but do recognize the work will impact the peregrines and so have involved the Division of Wildlife early on in planning for advice and direction on management of the falcons and the nest during the construction project.

Because of the nature and duration of the work to be done, the Division of Wildlife believes the most prudent thing to do is to provide for the peregrines at another site.  To accommodate construction and to encourage the peregrines to relocate, the current nestbox at the Rhodes Tower will be removed later this summer and other exclusion efforts on the building will be incorporated.  The Riffe Tower is another state-owned building and one that the peregrines already readily use.  Fans will recall this past fledging period, one of the young peregrines spent 2 days on a window ledge at the Riffe.  An alternate nestbox already exists on that building and Division of Wildlife biologists will be working with building management to refine the nesting accommodations to make the Riffe as attractive to the peregrines as possible.  If all goes well, the peregrines will relocate to the Riffe and have a safe and secure nesting site to use while the Rhodes State Office Tower Modernization Project progresses.  The possibility does exist of course, that the peregrines will choose to nest elsewhere downtown so we will be monitoring their whereabouts and behaviors between this fall and next nesting season. 

While we work on nestbox accommodations, we are also working with building management at the Riffe to develop a camera system with the goal of live streaming on our website as we have done in the past with the nest at the Rhodes Tower.  This combined approach addressing the nestbox and cameras is a reasonable plan with cooperation between multiple agencies and organizations.  Our hope is that the peregrines also are cooperative in this endeavor and there is minimal interruption in Columbus peregrine falcon viewing opportunities. 

We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.  For the immediate future, expect some downtime after the live streaming is discontinued later this month.  Even without video, we’ll be working behind the scenes to ensure a responsible approach to all aspects of this project in relation to the peregrines and the viewing public.  Stay tuned as this project evolves.  Columbus peregrine fans are the best and the ODNR, Division of Wildlife appreciates their dedication!