Cincinnati Public Radio officially unveils its new Evanston studio and office building at a public grand opening April 26-27. The $32-million project provides new homes for public radio stations WGUC-FM (founded in 1960) and WVXU-FM (founded in 1970), relocating from the downtown facility they share with CET public television.
The building’s unique look comes from the use of timber support beams instead of construction-standard steel beams and a generous amount of glass on all walls and both floors. Studios are equipped with brand new state-of-the-art sound boards, microphones, and speakers.
Cincinnati Recreation Center’s Evanston playfield is adjacent to the new building, affording the radio team opportunities to partner with community groups on outdoor events and education programs. WVXU was launched nearby at Xavier University, so the station’s return to Evanston is a homecoming of sorts.
The building features an open performance space on the ground floor, with a stage, sound system, cameras, and table and chairs allowing for various room setups. CEO and General Manager Richard Eiswerth (below) says he hopes to host concerts, lectures, and public meetings in the space, which will be free to use for community organizations.
Since the studio equipment is all new, there will be no downtime for either station as they complete the move. Eiswerth says engineers will flip a switch one day in mid-April and WGUC’s classical music and WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition and NPR programming will immediately start broadcasting from the new building.
Photographs by Devyn Glista