Since our official ownership date of April 23rd, a lot has happened at CHRS Radio Central. Check out this progress:
- A new sewer lateral was installed.
- Asbestos was removed from the great telephone / church room.
- The roof was repaired.
- Sumps cleaned, pumps tested and operational.
- All locks re-keyed.
- Old interior walls from church and school removed.
- The fire sprinkler system was updated.
- Fire extinguishers updated with signage.
- Earthquake gas shutoff valve installed.
- Exit signs updated and lit.
- Alarm system updated and working.
- Moldy janitor’s closet scrubbed and dried, sealed and painted for use.
- Telephone system installed.
- Wi-fi routers installed.
- Electric system repaired.
- Building perimeter sealed.
- Playground equipment traded to Baptist Church for use of Parking lot.
- Parking lot drainage project complete.
- Maxwell Library project underway.
- Shop shear wall seismic project underway.
Coming soon… A 12′ x 32′ Accessory Building, (shed), will be built in our yard on a concrete pad and will serve as our carpentry shop. So, there you have it. Much has been done but there is so much more to do. We will have more details about these projects in our Fall Journal, coming out soon. Oh by the way… this stuff all costs BIG DOLLARS!
FUND RAISING CONTINUES –
We haven’t mentioned Fund Raising in awhile, but the truth is our Fund Raising will never end. CHRS did a tremendous job by raising enough money to purchase 2152 Central Avenue. Not many historical radio societies that we know of, has raised over $1 Million to purchase their own building… And control their own destiny. So we now have to move forward and build ‘CHRS Radio Central’.
We haven’t mentioned Fund Raising in awhile, but the truth is our Fund Raising will never end. CHRS did a tremendous job by raising enough money to purchase 2152 Central Avenue. Not many historical radio societies that we know of, has raised over $1 Million to purchase their own building… And control their own destiny. So we now have to move forward and build ‘CHRS Radio Central’.
WE NEED YOUR HELP –
We needed your help to purchase Radio Central and you came through with flying colors. Now the serious work begins to turn this 114 year old telephone / church / school building into a true West Coast Center devoted to Radio.
THE DONATION BOX IS OPEN AND ACCEPTING –
Your donations to CHRS can now be directed to the funds or projects you choose. When you click to make donations you will be taken to the CHRS Main Donation Page. Just check the box for your preferred donation Fund. The Funds are:
FIRST PRIORITY FUNDING – These are the funds and projects that provide us the capital to move forward with our mission on a daily basis.
- The CHRS General Operations Fund – For the monthly upkeep of the Radio Central facility. (Insurance, phone / DSL, power, garbage, water, fire system, alarm system, IT Services, off site storage). It costs us roughly $2,000 per month to exist at Radio Central. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE
- The CHRS General Construction Fund – For the necessary upgrades and remodeling to accommodate our CHRS activities. (Shop project, Library project, display galleries, flooring, paint, service upgrades, seismic upgrades, accessory building project, radio control rooms). Rough construction estimate $120,000. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE
INDEPENDENT FUNDING – These are projects that will enhance and enrich our experience at Radio Central. They will not be funded from the General Construction Fund. They will happen, in time but are not necessarily priorities right now. Although if independently funded now, they will become priorities.
- The Building Naming Fund – Right now Radio Central occupies The Laura Phillips Building. Laura Phillips was the founder of The Children’s Learning Center, the school that last owned the building. What a legacy it would be for someone to have the building housing the West Coast Center for Radio and Radio History including the CHRS Vintage Radio Museum and the Bay Area Radio Hall Of Fame, named in their honor. A $350,000 donation creates a permanent legacy for someone at this historic place. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE
- The Building Facade Restoration Fund – Radio Central was built in 1900 in the classic California Mission Revival Style by the Sunset Telegraph and Telephone Company. In the 1960’s, the Church of the Nazarene erected the flat ‘modern’ front that we see today. The Building Facade Fund would allow CHRS to restore the facade to the original 1900 Mission Revival Style. Most of the detail still exists under the flat front. This project would also include an accessable wheelchair lift which will eventually be required for accessibility. Construction estimate including lift is $120,000 – $150,000. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE
- The Compact Mobile Storage Fund – Storage has always been a problem for us. Yes this building is 2,700 sq. ft. larger than our space at KRE but still presents problems for storage of artifacts to be rotated in and out of displays, thousands of vacuum tubes, records, tapes, ETs and other items needing to be stored on site. Compact mobile storage is used in many museums, libraries, warehouses and anyplace storage needs to be maximized. Unfortunately it is quite expensive. The storage facility would be in 2/3 of the large downstairs room opposite to our kitchen. The cost is $49,000. It can be done in stages; $17,000 for the static end units and rail system and then $6,200 for each moving unit as needed for a total of 5. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE
Class of 2014
INDUCTION LUNCHEON – A BIG SUCCESS! –
We celebrated the induction of the 2014 Class of the Bay Area Radio Hall Of Fame at Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto on September 20. Our Master of Ceremonies was the ‘BIG 103’ KOSF’s Don Bleu, BARHOF Class of 2007. The whole induction event was recorded, edited and posted on YouTube by Dave Billeci. Thanks Dave! CLICK HERE TO VIEW.
CHRS RADIO DOG PRODUCTIONS –
CHRS, in its commitment to the preservation of Bay Area radio history has been associated with projects including John Schneider’s book “Bay Area Radio”. Having CHRS involved with such projects makes CHRS a creditable source for telling the story of Bay Area Radio.
CHRS, in its commitment to the preservation of Bay Area radio history has been associated with projects including John Schneider’s book “Bay Area Radio”. Having CHRS involved with such projects makes CHRS a creditable source for telling the story of Bay Area Radio.
One of the radio stories that has had a profound inpact on our modern scene is about the Jive 95 Era of KSAN, 94.9 San Francisco. This 10 year period was pivotal in the formation of many new concepts and ideas not only about radio, but about the culture of the time. As you know KSAN Jive 95 is being celebrated this year as the BARHOF Legendary Station for 2014. Part of the year long celebration were three events in June, the KSAN reunion concert at Yoshi’s SF, the BARHOF induction luncheon at Spenger’s and KSAN storytelling night at the Monkeyhouse Theater. All events were recorded with multiple cameras by Jesse Block of Crissy Field Productions. So, “KSAN Jive 95: The Movie” was born. CHRS Radio Dog Productions will be the production wing for this important documentary.
“KSAN Jive 95: The Movie” is the definitive film documentary on the San Francisco progressive rock, free form radio station that changed the world! KSAN Jive 95 was founded by radio legend Tom “Big Daddy” Donahue in May of 1968 right after the Summer of Love and at the escalation of the Viet Nam war. KSAN Jive 95 spoke to a new generation of radio listeners and the San Francisco Sound of music was the soundtrack of people’s lives.”KSAN Jive 95: The Movie” tells the complete story of the groundbreaking FM radio station through interviews with the DJ’s and personalities that were lucky enough to have been there. Ben Fong-Torres, Dusty Street, Bonnie Simmons, Terry McGovern, Richard Gossett, Scoop Nisker, Edward Bear, and many others are joined by musicians from Jefferson Starship, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Cold Blood, Stoneground, Quicksilver Messenger Service along with Country Joe McDonald to describe in detail the importance of KSAN Jive 95 to the community. It was a counterculture movement with San Francisco and KSAN Jive 95 at the epicenter. “KSAN Jive 95: The Movie” tells the whole inside story through the eyes of the people who lived the Jive 95 experience. The film is a benefit for the California Historical Radio Society and its Bay Area Radio Museum, an educational 501(c)(3) corporation founded in CA in 1974.
“KSAN Jive 95: The Movie” is Produced and Directed by Jesse Block. Senior Producer is Kenny Wardell. Archivist & writer is Steve Roby. Associate Producer is Bonnie Simmons. “KSAN Jive 95: The Movie” is a CHRS Radio Dog Production.You Can Make It Happen! If the Jive 95 was an important part of your life and you want to share it with many, please help us fund the production and distribution of this important film. This film will be funded independently from all other CHRS projects. Please CLICK HERE TO DONATE today. Your donations are of course tax deductible.
For more information on KSAN ‘Jive 95’ please visit Norman Davis’ website: http://www.jive95.com
BARM / BARHOF SITE UPDATE –
The CHRS Bay Area Radio Museum site has been updated with a fresh new look. If you haven’t visited in awhile, check it out.Our BARM / BARHOF site has the people, stations, exhibits and audio clips that have made Bay Area Radio great. We hope you enjoy our new look. It is still a work in progress. Please check back as we will be trying to add new material on a more regular basis.
RADIO CENTRAL VIDEO UPDATES –
Does the society have the capacity to accept a donation of a HUGE collection (approx. $3-5 million worth) of antique amateur radio equipment? Massive numbers of duplicates could be sold off.
K4ROZ
Would your Society be interested in a collection of CHRS Official Journals from 1975 on to the 1980’s. We have hundreds of them covering the 70’s and 80’s most of them in very good condition. These are part of a collection of every bound edition and individual magazines of “Wireless World” from its inception (The latter being an English magazine) These date from the beginning of the 19th Century going on through to the 70’s. We also have a collection of various technical books. This collection was left in my husband’s warehouse about 25 years ago and we have not been able to trace the owner. It has been stored in a spare room for several years but now we need to do something with this stack of early radio documentation and material, I’m sure it must be of interest to collectors.
We live near London in England and are not sure what to do with this collection and wondered whether your Society would be interested in your early magazines.
Kind regards
Frances Spence