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'Wall-breaking' symbolizes WFCR construction downtown

Date: 3/7/2013

By G. Michael Dobbs

news@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD — In May 2014, there will be a new addition to downtown Springfield a state of the art radio facility housing the home of the WFCR, New England Public Radio.

Congressman Richard Neal and Mayor Domenic Sarno joined WFCR officials at a "wall-breaking" ceremony on March 4 on the ground floor of the historic Fuller Building at 1525 Main St.

The move to Springfield is part modernization for WFCR's facilities and part of the commitment of the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst to the city, Martin Miller, WFCR CEO and general manager, explained.

"It's the culmination of many year's worth of work," Miller said.

Standing in the area once occupied by a clothing store, Miller said that deconstruction of the area will continue with construction beginning later this year.

The new location will give the station 15,000 square feet of space, he said. Although the station has a studio complex at WGBY several blocks away, Miller said that studio would be used by WFCR after the renovations. The 5,000 square-foot home to the station at UMass will be reduced in size to about 2,000 square feet and will be a satellite office and studio.

Thirty employees will use the new studio on Main Street, Miller added.

He said working in the UMass space is like "operating a biotech company in a biology lab built in the 1950s."

The new studio complex will include a community room and Miller said the station would be engaging the public much more.

He called the move a "transformational event."

The capital campaign designed to raise funds for the studio has a goal of $7 million and Miller said that so far $5.5 million has been donated. The station will need a bridge loan, he explained, for the $1.4 million it still needs and fundraising will continue.

Helping the effort has been the use of New Market Tax Credits, and Miller praised Neal for his advocacy of that program.

Neal noted the Fuller Building had been restored during his mayoral administration with Historic Tax Credits and praised public radio for its treatment of news. He said he listens to WFCR every morning and that it provides news and information not found elsewhere.

"It's harder and harder in American public life to develop a consensus," Neal said. "[People] can't agree on the nature of the problem."

He added that many people "tune into media that agrees with them . the truncated nature of the national conversation makes it difficult to find solutions."