Tori Shao painting,  photo courtesy of Carol Roll

by Ellie Yamanaka, Communications Manager

Birds Connect Seattle hired local artist Tori Shao to create a feature mural for our new headquarters. Our mural highlights two local bird species, the Swainson’s Thrush and the American Bittern, as well as showcasing additional native bird and plant species throughout the work.

American Bittern | Margo Burnison | Audubon Photography Awards

Tori Shao is a Seattle-based illustrator and landscape architect with a passion for exploring the intricate ways in which we connect with the world around us: through nature, the built environment, or the stories we share. Born and raised in Washington, her work is inspired by the state’s rich tapestry of diverse ecologies, geology, flora, and fauna. Working across many mediums, her pieces explore themes of community, growth, connection, conservation, and diversity.

Tori Shao painting the Birds Connect Seattle mural, photo courtesy of Carol Roll

When told that she had been selected as the muralist to craft this work of art for us, Tori noted, “I am thrilled and honored to be working with Birds Connect Seattle on this project! As an artist and a birdwatcher, the mural I am designing for Birds Connect Seattle aligns with both my creative and personal interests.” 

Early Design Sketch, image courtesy of Tori Shao

In describing the process for designing our mural, Tori noted, “It was very collaborative between me and the rest of the design team. Celebrating birds and their connections to our environment and culture are mutual interests of [mine and Birds Connect Seattle] and it was very fun to explore all the different possibilities.” The Salmonberry and Swainson’s Thrush were featured in some of the earliest concept sketches Tori provided when presented with the opportunity to create our mural. 

Red-winged Blackbird silhouettes, photo courtesy of Carol Roll

In addition to the Swainson’s Thrush and American Bittern, there are also Red-winged Blackbirds, a Brown Creeper, and a Pacific Wren silhouettes painted into the design. Surrounding the birds is a lush and thriving habitat, featuring native plants such as Salmonberry, Sword Fern, Western Columbine, Wild Ginger, False Solomon’s Seal, Common Cattail, and Yellow Pond Lily. Collectively, these elements are artfully woven together to showcase a thriving and interconnected ecosystem representative of the outdoor spaces that thrive throughout the Pacific Northwest. We hope that this mural stands as a reminder of the connection that we all share with the greenspaces around us, as well as the importance of these ecosystems for both people and birds to thrive. 

Bird Connect Seattle staff members pose in front of the the mural.

The Swainson’s Thrush has been of particular interest to Birds Connect Seattle, specifically through the Seattle Bird Collision Monitoring Project, a project documenting bird-window collisions with the aim of reducing urban bird mortality. Thrushes are particularly susceptible to fatal window collisions. As Birds Connect Seattle continues to advocate for bird-safe building standards, we can be inspired every day by this beautiful, larger-than-life Swainson’s Thrush looking over our everyday operations. We hope that this mural can continue to inspire others to love and protect the birds that live around us, as well as spark curiosity to learn more about local bird species. 

Birds Connect Seattle Mural, photo courtesy of Tori Shao

 When the mural was complete, we asked Tori what her favorite part of the design was. She replied, “My favorite part of the mural is the brown creeper and the Pacific wren in the background of the understory scene. I love little details like that for those with an observant eye!” Learn more about our new space and come see our beautiful new mural during our grand opening events. See more of Tori’s art on her website or by following her on Instagram @torikinn. 

Birds Connect Seattle is annoucing an exciting new chapter in our 109-year history with a planned relocation to downtown Seattle at 616 Olive Way, in the historic Tower Building.  

This strategic move aligns with our core focus on urban conservation, environmental education, and community science by creating a more accessible hub to reach and engage a broader and more diverse audience.  

“After a thorough evaluation of the programming needs across our service area, employee well-being, and our vision for a future where both people and birds thrive together in cities, we determined that downtown was the ideal location,” said Claire Catania, Executive Director. 

Designed to inspire and engage, the new space will feature a welcoming entryway, conservation and educational exhibits, immersive storytelling areas, optics and gifts for purchase, and a community space for reflection and interaction. These elements will guide visitors from discovery to deeper engagement, fostering a stronger connection between people and birds. 

Additionally, relocating downtown presents valuable opportunities for Birds Connect Seattle to prioritize and expand its urban conservation advocacy efforts by placing the organization, and its administrative offices closer to key local and regional policymakers and decision-making networks.  

Anthony Floyd, Board President, highlighted this sharing, “The move will strengthen our ability to drive meaningful change in line with our long-term strategic goals by bringing our focus on urban conservation to a broader audience. At the same time, we’re planning initiatives to maintain connection with our long-time core members and bring an enhanced experience that was not possible in our beloved Wedgwood location.”  

The new headquarters will also enhance programming and opportunities for collaboration with other organizations, solidifying Birds Connect Seattle as a “true center for conservation, education, and advocacy,” said long-time member, Harvey Sadis. “Moving the headquarters to a more central location creates a greater opportunity to engage more people. I’m very excited about it.” 

Since 1916, Birds Connect Seattle has been at the forefront of protecting local bird populations and habitats. In 1996, the organization moved its headquarters from downtown in the Joshua Green building at 4th and Pike to a converted single-family home in the Wedgwood neighborhood, surrounded by a lush native-plant garden. There, Birds Connect Seattle cultivated a strong membership base of birders and conservation-minded individuals, many from the Wedgwood and greater North Seattle communities.  

“The Wedgwood community built the foundation that launched Birds Connect Seattle into the future. We are incredibly grateful for their contributions and for a legacy that will always be part of Birds Connect Seattle,” said Catania. “We look to our long-time supporters to help us spread our wings and attract even more people committed to minimizing threats to birds and protecting habitat.” 

Birds Connect Seattle sold our Wedgwood property in January 2025, placing a permanent conservation easement on the native plant garden and mature trees as part of the sale. We plan to open its new urban nest in the summer of 2025. More details, including specific programming plans, will be shared in the coming months. 

A portion of the Wedgwood property placed under an urban conservation easement.

Sale of Birds Connect Seattle Headquarters, Secures Conservation Easement for Trees and Wildlife

Kidder Mathews has arranged the $1.925 million sale of Birds Connect Seattle’s headquarters, located at 8050 35th Avenue NE in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood. The 4,061-square-foot office and retail property, situated on an 11,113-square-foot lot, was exclusively listed by Kidder Mathews Executive Vice President Dan Swanson.

The property was acquired by Transformative Sound LLC doing business as blosm studio, which plans to preserve the midcentury building and its natural surroundings while repurposing it as a multi-dimensional center of well-being.

In a unique agreement, both buyer and seller collaborated to establish a conservation easement—one of the first of its kind—ensuring the protection of the site’s mature trees and bird habitat for future generations. Legal consultation for the easement was provided by Adam Draper at Draper Law, PLLC.

“This was an extraordinary transaction where buyer, seller, and broker aligned to achieve more than just a real estate deal,” said Swanson. “It was a rare opportunity to combine commerce with conservation, ensuring long-term benefits for Wedgwood and Northeast Seattle while welcoming a new wellness-focused business to the community.”

“The natural habitat of trees, vegetation, birds, and wildlife surrounding the building is a wonderful and complementary setting for blosm studio,” said Roger Tjoelker, founder of Transformative Sound and blosm studio. “I’m really looking forward to becoming part of the Wedgwood neighborhood and preserving this unique property.”

Originally built in 1948 as a model home for the Wedgwood residential neighborhood, the property later became the headquarters for Birds Connect Seattle. Zoned for potential multifamily development, it attracted strong interest during the marketing process, reflecting continued demand for well-located sites in Seattle. At under $500 per rentable square foot, the sale highlights the value of strategically positioned properties with parking and redevelopment potential.

About blosm studio
blosm studio is a wellness center dedicated to cultivating well-being through various holistic practices. They offer a range of services including sound immersion with gongs, yoga, breathwork, and bodywork. The studio provides both group classes and private sessions, aiming to help individuals transform and blossom physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Whether you are looking to relax with a sound bath or deepen your practice, blosm studio offers a nurturing environment for personal growth and healing. For more information visit blosmstudio.com.

About Kidder Mathews
Kidder Mathews is the largest fully independent commercial real estate firm in the Western U.S., with over 900 professionals in 19 offices across Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona. We offer a complete range of brokerage, appraisal, asset services, consulting, and debt & equity finance services for all property types. Kidder Mathews averages $9 billion in transaction volume, manages more than 58 million square feet of space, and conducts 2,400 appraisal, consulting, and cost segregation assignments annually. For more information, visit kidder.com.