Hawk Mountain Sanctuary’s visitors center will be coming down this spring to make way for a larger, handicapped accessible, state of the art facility.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity. We plan to build it, and we plan to build it the right way,” said Sean Grace, president of Hawk Mountain.

Plans for the multimillion dollar center were announced Thursday from the current center’s Wings of Wonder Gallery, which features large-scale photos of the sanctuary’s mountaintop lookouts and the raptors that use Hawk Mountain as a migratory flyway.

“This has been a much-beloved visitors’ center,” Grace said.

Unfortunately, he said, the center — built about 53 years ago and expanded in the early 1990s — has serious structural integrity issues. In addition, he noted that parts of it, including the Wings of Wonder Gallery, are not ADA accessible.

Officials originally mulled rebuilding the current center, but because of the structural issues, Grace explained, “it made more sense” to start from scratch.

The one-story, energy-efficient structure will be about 30% larger, address ADA requirements, include larger offices and feature new exhibits. It will have a large multipurpose room, two outdoor gathering spots, a native plant garden and bird feeding stations.

The Berks County sanctuary and its visitors center see about 70,000 people a year — and Grace said the new center will be designed around their experience.

Under its 30-foot high vaulted ceilings, exhibits will inform visitors of the ongoing science, stewardship and educational works happening daily at the sanctuary.

Grace said that beginning in April, the current center will be demolished. Construction will begin immediately thereafter and should take about 14 months.

“We should be open for the fall of 2028. We will only skip one season,” Grace said.

Even without a visitors center, Hawk Mountain will remain open. Staff and researchers will work from other buildings, and trailers will be brought in as well. Visitors will be welcome to walk the trails and visit the overlooks. Educational programming and public events will continue.

Grace said the nonprofit has spent the last five years planning and “quietly” raising funds.

“I can tell you that we are doing exceptionally well,” he added.

Approximately $3 million is needed to reach the $13 million goal.

“We still have a gap, but we are hoping that additional (donors) will come forward and help us close that gap,” Grace said.

Grace said Hawk Mountain is a world leader in raptor conservation science, with researchers building a global network to help conserve the birds. To date, he said, the facility has hosted 542 research trainees from 78 countries, many of whom go on to work at universities around the world.

State Rep. Jamie Barton (R-124) commended the legacy of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

“With any book you find on raptors, you’re going to find somebody in that book that has studied here, right here in Albany Township, at Hawk Mountain,” Barton said.

The sanctuary, he said, is synonymous with education, conservation and recreation.

“People come here for different things but they get all three of them,” Barton explained.

Beth Hucker, chairwoman of the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary board of directors, called the announcement “very exciting.”

“I want to commend Sean, his staff, and volunteers for the amazing work that they do to provide science and education around raptors,” Hucker said.

In recent weeks, many have been visiting Hawk Mountain’s lookouts to spot migrating raptors, such as hawks, eagles and osprey.

While migration time can be busy, Grace said Hawk Mountain’s guest totals are balancing out month-to-month, thanks to extensive programming for young and old.

Asked what he was looking forward to the most, Grace gave what he called a tongue-in-cheek answer.

“If there’s a national award for the Best New Visitors Center in the World in 2028, we want to win it,” he said.

And while the current visitors’ center isn’t ADA accessible, one of its trails is.

“I do believe that currently we are the only conservation organization that has a mountaintop ADA accessible trail,” Grace said.

For project updates, architectural renderings and information about supporting the campaign, visit www.hawkmountain.org/visitorcentercampaign.