In an effort to restore the former airport control tower to its original grandeur, in spring 2010 Catellus began the process of removing the 1970s-era smoke glass exterior and restoring the contrasting light and dark blue porcelain panels with alternating clear glass panels on several floors as it was originally designed. As the exterior restoration work began, the team discovered some Mueller residents who had been calling the tower home – two adult barn owls. As mates for life, these two owls also happened to be raising a brood of owlets. To help determine how the restoration could proceed without disrupting the owls, experts from the Travis Audubon Society helped assess the situation. As the restoration continued, Catellus installed an owl habitat box just outside the top floor of the control tower to accommodate the fuzzy Mueller family. At the current stage of the restoration process, the owls – along with a second set of owls that were recently discovered to also be raising a brood inside the tower – have moved back into the tower. Within the next several months, the team will complete the exterior restoration project leaving an opening in the tower so the owl families can continue nesting in an upper floor. Check the Mueller Facebook page for more photos of the owls.
