Old KHJ Tower Demolished

[davideduardo]

The video made me sick. What a shame.

For the relatively few of us who can connect to KHJ and its heritage, it is a shame.

But if the group that is attempting to rescue the original KDKA "garage" facility couldn't even save the structure at its original site, then the hopes for something as costly to maintain as a directional antenna site are nil.

www.nmbpgh.org is a site about the KDKA effort. They managed to get "possession" of the garage and disassembled it and have it carefully stored. But so far, they have not been able to rebuild it and make it into the well deserved museum to KDKA that should exist.

 

[DrAkbar]

For the relatively few of us who can connect to KHJ and its heritage, it is a shame.

Wonder if a Boss Jock junkie purchased some of that scrap iron and will cut it up to auction on eBay?

 

[davideduardo]

For the relatively few of us who can connect to KHJ and its heritage, it is a shame.

Wonder if a Boss Jock junkie purchased some of that scrap iron and will cut it up to auction on eBay?

Well, when KDKA tore down their original 1930's tower (apparently they had a flat-top prior to that) about 15 years ago, they sliced up half-inch pieces of the tower and embedded them in acrylic and sold them to benefit a local charity. I've got one and prize it!

Of course, KHJ is not quite KDKA in stature.

 

[michael hagerty]

A couple of interesting comments about this on LARadio.com:

Former KHJ Chief Engineer Jerry Lewine says Lieberman bought the 10 acres of land the towers stood on when he bought KHJ in 1990. Price: $10 million. Wonder if KHJ bought the building they're in or if they're renting? Anyway Lewine says Lieberman's going to build a 10-acre apartment complex on the parcel.

The second comment is from Rich Brother Robbin, who never worked at KHJ, but was on just about every other Southern California Top 40 that mattered in the 60s and 70s (KGB, KCBQ, KIQQ, KKDJ, KTNQ). And this is a quote:


"NO!!!! NO NO NO!!!!! AAAAAGGGHHHH! I feel like my dick just fell off. One thing I do know - there's no fabric on the inside of Morgan nor Steele's coffins. They're spinning so fast right now it's all worn off." - Rich Brother Robbin

 

[michael hagerty]

I meant to type "I wonder if CBS (not KHJ) bought the building they're in or if they're renting".

 

[davideduardo]

Former KHJ Chief Engineer Jerry Lewine says Lieberman bought the 10 acres of land the towers stood on when he bought KHJ in 1990. Price: $10 million. Wonder if KHJ bought the building they're in or if they're renting? Anyway Lewine says Lieberman's going to build a 10-acre apartment complex on the parcel.

If I recall, the land was owned by the elder Liberman brothers (Julio, Elías and José) in their real estate group that also included a batch of medical buildings in the Wilshire district as well as some commercial properties elsewhere. The brothers apparently took the $40 million or so they got from Cecil Heftel and invested much of it in real estate.

At one time, there was talk that the medical center a few blocks away wanted to expand and was looking at the KHJ site. Today, that land was a much better investment than the radio station.

 

[michael hagerty]

Former KHJ Chief Engineer Jerry Lewine says Lieberman bought the 10 acres of land the towers stood on when he bought KHJ in 1990. Price: $10 million. Wonder if KHJ bought the building they're in or if they're renting? Anyway Lewine says Lieberman's going to build a 10-acre apartment complex on the parcel.

If I recall, the land was owned by the elder Liberman brothers (Julio, Elías and José) in their real estate group that also included a batch of medical buildings in the Wilshire district as well as some commercial properties elsewhere. The brothers apparently took the $40 million or so they got from Cecil Heftel and invested much of it in real estate.

At one time, there was talk that the medical center a few blocks away wanted to expand and was looking at the KHJ site. Today, that land was a much better investment than the radio station.

David, do you know if CBS owns the building AMP, Jack and KROQ are in or if they're leasing the space? Might they be moving soon?

 

[davideduardo]

David, do you know if CBS owns the building AMP, Jack and KROQ are in or if they're leasing the space? Might they be moving soon?

I do not know. However, at one point we had to move the (K)KHJ transmitter out of that building, making me think that CBS owned the corner of that lot. However, that's purely anecdotal and I have no factual knowledge.

 

[davideduardo]

David, do you know if CBS owns the building AMP, Jack and KROQ are in or if they're leasing the space? Might they be moving soon?

I do not know. However, at one point we had to move the (K)KHJ transmitter out of that building, making me think that CBS owned the corner of that lot. However, that's purely anecdotal and I have no factual knowledge.

Now I'm advised that the building is definitely the property of CBS, and that there are even some studio remodels in progress, so I'd assume that they are not planning on leaving any time soon (but of course, this is radio so nothing is ever 100% certain).

 

[ricoontheradio]

David, do you know if CBS owns the building AMP, Jack and KROQ are in or if they're leasing the space? Might they be moving soon?

According to LoopNet the owner of the building is Infinity Broadcasting Operations Inc., so it appears CBS owns the building.

 

[ricoontheradio]

Looks like we posted seconds apart, so now this is double confirmed! ;D

 

[michael hagerty]

So now AMP/Jack/KROQ will have a whole lotta neighbors.

 

[calguy]

Unlike Clear Channel, CBS, at least here in LA doesn't want all of it's radio stations in one place. That way, should a facility become unusable due to any number of events, they have back-up they can move to. They also have emergency studios over on Melrose at Paramount. KNX anchors moved there when the last bomb threat (The Promo package from BET) happened a while back.

 

[michael hagerty]

Unlike Clear Channel, CBS, at least here in LA doesn't want all of it's radio stations in one place. That way, should a facility become unusable due to any number of events, they have back-up they can move to. They also have emergency studios over on Melrose at Paramount. KNX anchors moved there when the last bomb threat (The Promo package from BET) happened a while back.

Smart. But CBS has advantages it can leverage. Paramount is part of the family and they own the Venice Blvd. building (which someday will cash out really nicely). Clear Channel doesn't have a movie studio or other logical affiliation and if I recall correctly, all their stations were in leased space when they acquired Jacor. At that point, it really made sense to consolidate and not deal with multiple leases.

 

[dagrudt]

Article from November 1st 1940 RE: KHJ and Don Lee leasing 5515 Melrose with mention of new transmitter site:http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/40-OCR/1940-11-01-BC-0030.pdf#search="khj"
From Mr. Eduardo's site....

 

[calguy]

Unlike Clear Channel, CBS, at least here in LA doesn't want all of it's radio stations in one place. That way, should a facility become unusable due to any number of events, they have back-up they can move to. They also have emergency studios over on Melrose at Paramount. KNX anchors moved there when the last bomb threat (The Promo package from BET) happened a while back.

Smart. But CBS has advantages it can leverage. Paramount is part of the family and they own the Venice Blvd. building (which someday will cash out really nicely). Clear Channel doesn't have a movie studio or other logical affiliation and if I recall correctly, all their stations were in leased space when they acquired Jacor. At that point, it really made sense to consolidate and not deal with multiple leases.

It was my understanding that the KFI-KOST Building on Ardmore was one they owned. I could be wrong, but I got my info from someone who worked there. Guess they could've been incorrect. I do know that Clear Channel still had some facilities somewhere in the Wilshire corridor at one time, though that may be gone now. It might have made sense to have it as a backup assuming it survived whatever disaster may have struck. CC has, or had a semi trailer mobile studio as well that can serve in that regard, though the last time I saw it at LA Live it's back studio was a wreck. They used the console in the middle of the trailer most of the time.

 

[michael hagerty]

Unlike Clear Channel, CBS, at least here in LA doesn't want all of it's radio stations in one place. That way, should a facility become unusable due to any number of events, they have back-up they can move to. They also have emergency studios over on Melrose at Paramount. KNX anchors moved there when the last bomb threat (The Promo package from BET) happened a while back.

Smart. But CBS has advantages it can leverage. Paramount is part of the family and they own the Venice Blvd. building (which someday will cash out really nicely). Clear Channel doesn't have a movie studio or other logical affiliation and if I recall correctly, all their stations were in leased space when they acquired Jacor. At that point, it really made sense to consolidate and not deal with multiple leases.

It was my understanding that the KFI-KOST Building on Ardmore was one they owned. I could be wrong, but I got my info from someone who worked there. Guess they could've been incorrect. I do know that Clear Channel still had some facilities somewhere in the Wilshire corridor at one time, though that may be gone now. It might have made sense to have it as a backup assuming it survived whatever disaster may have struck. CC has, or had a semi trailer mobile studio as well that can serve in that regard, though the last time I saw it at LA Live it's back studio was a wreck. They used the console in the middle of the trailer most of the time.

Do we know what's in the old KFI on Ardmore now?

 

[dagrudt]

Public Counsel is now located at 610 S. Ardmore.....http://www.publiccounsel.org/contact_us?id=0001

 

[Hot Hits]

A couple of interesting comments about this on LARadio.com:

Former KHJ Chief Engineer Jerry Lewine says Lieberman bought the 10 acres of land the towers stood on when he bought KHJ in 1990. Price: $10 million. Wonder if KHJ bought the building they're in or if they're renting? Anyway Lewine says Lieberman's going to build a 10-acre apartment complex on the parcel.

Sounds possibly like Public Housing? Those Hollywood and Vine Condos would be trendy! I find it interesting that RKO insisted on an armed off duty Law Officer who were the first to go under Beasley & CBS does or did not use them. My friend was on the Air at KRTH during a break in, and the guy walked right into the control room.

 

[radiohistory]

Regarding the Broadcasting story from 11-1-1940, it is true that KHJ-900 kilocycles and the Don Lee Broadcasting System headquarters had studios and offices on 2 floors of the Don Lee Cadillac Building at 7th and Bixel in Los Angeles, prior to moving to 5515 Melrose for the first time. But, KHJ was at 7th and Bixel for 12 years, not 13. When they bought KHJ from the Los Anges times in November of 1927, they continued broadcasting from 1st and Broadway until the Don Lee folks could construct new radio studios at 7th and Bixel for KHJ.

Also, the last paragraph about some of those movie stars making their radio debut on KHJ happened at the old L.A. Times building from 1922-1927, not at Don Lee's 7th and Bixel KHJ studio site.

One more thing about the site for KHJ's 2 towers off Venice Blvd. I'll have to check my files when I get my regular PC going again, but I think the 1940 Times story about KHJ buying the land for the new transmitter site said it was a 13-acre site at the time. But again, my memory may be wrong.

Jim