A Shady Side Academy alum is helping the National Aviary find a nest for its next breeding and conservation center, teaching hospital and educational space. S. Kent Rockwell, Fox Chapel resident and 1962 academy graduate, is in the process of acquiring his alma mater’s 35-acre middle school campus.

The plan is to have it donated to the Pittsburgh-based bird-focused nonprofit via the SK Rockwell Conservancy.

This development coincides with the academy’s efforts to build a new school at 423 Fox Chapel Road. mOnce complete, the $26 million project will converge grades 6-12 for the first time since 1958. It has a capacity for 260 students.

That project is largely funded through a 2022 donation by Rockwell and his partner, Pat Babyak. The pair gifted $15 million, the largest in the academy’s more than 140 year history.

The sale is projected to close sometime in January 2026 after students are moved into their new educational home.

“The National Aviary has been an under-recognized asset of our community and our nation. Providing this capital infusion should assist the Aviary in gaining the global recognition it deserves as a magnificent investment for our country to enjoy,” Rockwell said.

Aviary officials said renovations to the facility may take about a year. An opening celebration is being planned for 2027.

National Aviary executive director Cheryl Tracy said everyone is excited to develop a state-of-the-art veterinary teaching hospital and other amenities in Fox Chapel.

“While hundreds of thousands of annual visitors and online followers recognize the National Aviary as a cultural gem, few realize our global leadership in avian conservation through ecological research, husbandry, education and groundbreaking healthcare advancements,” she said in a statement.

The Shady Side middle school campus has several residential properties as well as the school itself.

Veterinary interns and students involved in conservation, breeding and research are expected to live in the existing residential units during their practicum.

“The conservational significance of this center will make it a sought-after destination for students pursuing careers in avian medicine and conservation from across the country and beyond,” said Tracy.

The middle school campus redevelopment is part of a broader, ambitious master plan for the National Aviary, which includes the renovations of both the veterinary hospital at the Aviary’s North Side location as well as modifications to the donated Fox Chapel property.

The total project is expected to cost $17 million.

More than $7 million has been raised so far, including an undisclosed amount gifted by Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin, which will support the veterinary teaching hospital at the Conservancy. Daniel Kamin, along with his three sons, Matthew, Michael and Philip, also are Shady Side Academy alumni.