An artist's rendering shows what a new International Owl Center could look like in Houston.
RACHEL MERGEN
INTERNATIONAL OWL CENTER
The International Owl Center in Houston is making progress toward its high-flying $17.3 million goal for a new facility.
So far, over $1.5 million has been raised, according to executive director Karla Bloem.
"Still got a ways to go, but hey, it'll happen," she said.
The new facility is expected to be more welcoming for visitors, improve meeting spaces and will allow the center to house its owls on site. Right now they have to commute to work each day.
This travel time leads to the some ornery owls unwilling to go to work. In fact, one of the owls is expected to be on a continuous "strike" until the new facility is built.
The new facility will also allow for more types of owls, including those that might not be native or adaptable to the Houston area and its climate.
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"It's going to be fantastic," Bloem said.
The new center promises some basic, but important upgrades:
"■ A parking lot for visitors
■" More than one restroom
■" Additional programing space
■ " Acoustically separated and private office spaces to conduct in-person and online meetings
The new center, which will be at the city's Trailhead Park, will include other features as well.
"This is going to be a groundbreaking facility. It's going to be the first-walk through owl aviaries in the United States," said Bloem. "They've been done in Europe, and I think there's one in Canada, but nobody's ever done it in the U.S."
The facility will be built on six properties the group owns. Structures on the property have already been razed, and the site is being leveled and will have grass planted on it.
The center now has only one program room, leading to closures on multiple days a week to accommodate different programing. With the new facility, there will be at least two rooms.
Online programming is now done from Bloem's home because the facility is too noisy. The new building will offer more acoustic separation. Right now, the only room with a door is the bathroom. So no online discussions or meetings can be done when the facility is open to the public.
She believes the new facility will help build businesses up in the center's small hometown.
"We don't have enough people in our community to support everything that we really want to have in our community, and bringing in tourists who also want some of those same things, like restaurants ..., that's going to support those kinds of businesses so that the rest of the people who live here can enjoy those things also," Bloem said.
She said the city's business scene is already growing with the openings of Owl City Cycles and Money Creek Outfitters.
Donors for the project have come from near and far.
"Anybody that walks in the door from anywhere in the world is a potential donor for us," Bloem said.
A person from Nebraska recently stopped by to donate $10,000, she said. The center had never made contact with the donor before.
Another person who passed away earlier this year donated a brokerage and an IRA account totaling about $90,000. The center had no record or previous contact with the person, who had lived in La Crosse.
"Exciting is probably a good word for the capital campaign because there's just so many generous people, and they pop out of the woodwork," Bloem said.
The local community has also been supportive, she said. The goal is to finish fundraising before construction begins.
"If you build it and then take out a nice, big fat loan, there's not a whole lot of urgency for people to donate," Bloem said.
Construction could be completed in two phases, with the main building completed first and then the aviaries.
The campaign can be supported in many ways. To give funds directly, people can donate online or mail a check.
"There's kind of some creative ways that people can give also," Bloem said.
Legacy giving and stock donations are options. Additionally, Bloem said that a farmer, for example, could donate a load of corn or beans.
Another way to help is just by spreading the word about the center and its campaign to others.
For more information about the project and donating, visit www.internationalowlcenter.org/future.
International Owl Center
Address: 126 E Cedar St., Houston, Minnesota
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday
Information: www.internationalowlcenter.org, 507-8966957
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