One of Carvana's vending machines. (Provided by Kavanagh)

Carvana, the Wall Street darling founded in 2012, can provide cars with so many soda cans or bags of potato chips with its stylish glass tower, calling itself the future of car sales. 

But environmentalists believe that progress is the eye of the beholder. They say that for the migratory birds whose populations have declined drastically in recent decades, a 140-foot-tall transparent structure with 24/7 bright lighting is a fatal collision waiting to happen.

The struggle between commerce and conservation reached its culmination in Skokie, where Carvana proposed to build an automatic "vending machine", just across the street from Harms Woods, a designated Illinois nature reserve located in an important Bird Greenway along the north branch of the Chicago River. 

"Of course, anything made of glass can be dangerous. But here, birds and glass in the green corridors are highly used by migratory and resident birds," said Annette Prince, director of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitor . "The enhanced threat is that it will light up at night and attract birds. This is a triple threat."

Members of the bird watching community and residents of neighboring apartments/apartment buildings have their own views on Carvana, and they have been pressing Skokie officials to stop Carvana's proposal. Their opposition seems to have had an impact.

The Skokie Planning Committee approved Carvana's site plan in mid-November. The plan calls for the removal of the village's logo code. It is expected that the village's board of directors will vote on the project this month.

But at the committee meeting on December 6, the mayor George Van Dusen notified the participants that the matter had been returned to the planning committee for additional hearings.

According to a spokeswoman from the village, Carvana's proposal was returned to the planning committee to resolve four issues: building and sign lighting, truck routing, delivery time, and bird strike prevention. She said that the tentative date for the next discussion is the planning committee meeting on January 6, and the earliest that the village committee can consider this matter is January 18.

Rob Kusel, a resident of Skokie, was the first to warn about a possible bird attack in Carvana. He said he would love to see what changes Carvana has brought about.

Carvana did not respond to WTTW News’ request for comment, but at the planning committee meeting on November 18, a company representative stated that “Carvana is very sensitive to the issue of bird collisions” and is “open to different glasses”.

"This could be a victory for the birds, a victory for Skokie, and a victory for Carvana," Cussel said. "We just don't know if Skokie will put Carvana's foot on the fire, or if Carvana will do the right thing."

Harms Woods Nature Reserve is located across from the proposed Carvana vending machine site in Skokie. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

The proposed Carvana location is located at 9801 Woods Drive. It is currently a surface parking lot with 654 parking spaces. It is part of the campus originally occupied by Rand McNally, which was evacuated in 2018. As stated in the planning committee’s report, no other developer has proposed a reliable plan for the vacated five-acre site.

Edens Expressway is located to the east of the plot, and the Carvana building is designed as a 3D billboard.

"This is a showcase tower," a company representative said at the planning committee meeting. "We want to make sure that our car is seen."

The land is zoned "office/research", covering a range of uses including office, retail and industrial. In response to complaints from residents of the neighbouring Optima Old Orchard Woods development, they called the Carvana Tower "fancy" and "a thorn in the eye." The committee pointed out that the area of ​​the proposed building is actually much smaller than the area allowed.

The planned height of 140 feet is below the maximum of 180 feet; the recommended retreat is close to 100 feet from each property line, and the required distance is 50 feet. The maximum land coverage allowed for the building is 30%; the Carvana Tower only accounts for 3.6%. In short, things could be worse. 

Optima itself is a glass-fronted behemoth with 660 units, completed in 2008, close to Old Orchard Mall and Harms Woods, which are touted as selling points. Prince and Cussel said the complex arguably poses a collision threat to birds, although it is not as big as the Carvana Tower. Notable differences include: Optima's glass is not completely transparent, residents use blinds, and lights are turned off at night.

On the other hand, transparent glass and constant lighting are an integral part of Carvana and its brand. The company has built 30 such towers in 18 states, including one in Oak Creek.

However, in Kusel's view, "When they choose that location (opposite Harms Woods), they assume the duty of care. If a building needs to include bird safety design, then this is fine."

Robert Kusel is a photographer who often takes nature as the subject. "One of the reasons I am worried is that since 2010, I have seen far fewer birds and species," he said. The bird above is just one of the species he photographed in Skokie. (Provided by Robert Kusel) The proposed Carvana site currently has 5 acres of parking. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) The Woods Avenue in Skokie is the dividing line between Harmswood on the left and the development zone on the right. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Optima complex, adjacent to the Carvana site, across the street from Harms Woods. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) A popular nature trail in Harms Woods opposite the Carvana ruins. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) Harms Woods' prime time. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) The almost invisible Edens Highway runs along the rear of the proposed Carvana site. The transparent glass and lighting of the Carvana Tower are designed as 24/7 billboards. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) As a nature reserve, Harms Woods itself is not protected by development, but not affected by what happens across the street. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

Robert Kusel is a photographer who often takes nature as the subject. "One of the reasons I am worried is that since 2010, I have seen far fewer birds and species," he said. The bird above is just one of the species he photographed in Skokie. (Provided by Robert Cussel)

The proposed Carvana site currently has 5 acres of parking. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

Woods Drive in Skokie is the dividing line between Harms Wood on the left and the development zone on the right. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

The Optima complex is adjacent to the Carvana site and across the street from Harms Woods. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

A popular nature trail in Harms Woods, opposite the Carvana ruins. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

Golden hour in Harms Forest. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

The almost invisible Edens Highway runs along the rear of the proposed Carvana site. The transparent glass and lighting of the Carvana Tower are designed as 24/7 billboards. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

As a nature reserve, Harms Woods itself is not protected by development, but not affected by what happens across the street. (Patti Waitley/WTTW News)

Chicago is unusual among major cities because it is located on one of the country's main north-south migratory bird routes. According to the Cornell Ornithology Laboratory, the city’s location, bright lights, and high-rise buildings are deadly to birds. In fact, it is the deadliest bird in the country.

Birds can either see directly through transparent glass without being able to recognize obstacles in their flight path, or reflections on the glass will affect their perception of reality and mirror images, especially when the reflections are trees. The lights were further disoriented, pulling the birds away from their migratory routes. 

Chicago Bird Collision Monitors recover approximately 6,000 birds in an area of ​​1.5 square miles in the city center each year. Although Prince said she does not advocate a ban on glass buildings, there are enough products and design features to minimize the risk of crashes. 

"We have a solution, this doesn't have to happen. This is only true if the design can protect the birds and you can do it, why not?" she said. "It can be subtle or attractive."

Prince said, just look at the Milwaukee Bucks Fiserv Forum that opened in 2018. It was designed as the most bird-friendly professional sports stadium in the country, incorporating features such as coated glass that is visible to birds but still transparent to the human eye.

"This does not spoil the view, you have to be very close to the building to see it," she said of mitigation measures. But for birds, the thoughtful design of this building has become a savior. "I saw the birds approach it, transfer and fly away," Prince said.

Prince said that the Bucks received a series of positive news on their stage. If they choose to modify their plan and accept the opportunity to make concessions for the birds, then this kind of public relations benefits can also benefit Carvana.

"This will only benefit their brand," she said. "They can set an example and will be welcomed in the next place."

Prince admitted that many people still don't think that birds are worthy of consideration, and that birds are acceptable for collateral damage.

"You always have to fight those battles," she said. However, people are increasingly aware of the critical role that birds play in maintaining the health of the ecosystem, and a healthy ecosystem is as beneficial to humans as any other organism.

Chicago’s tallest buildings are now often dimmed during the most active periods of migration, and Illinois recently passed a law requiring bird-friendly designs in all new state buildings.

Through some kind of glass treatment, responsible lighting and reduction of threat levels are important requirements of environmentalists to Carvana. They hope to make these promises in writing. 

"That's one of our red lines," Cussel said. "It must be specific."

Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [Email protection]

Sign up for our morning newsletter and send all our stories to your mailbox every working day.