Hawaii Original KPOI studios now a derelict eyesore

[CarAgencyGuy]

Owner of dilapidated building in Waikiki faces permit violation amid safety concerns

“It seems to be sending some lawbreaking message.”

www.hawaiinewsnow.com

I was one of lucky ones to hold an air shift there at 1380 AM BITD and worked in that control room. What a shame to see it like this now. Found an original photo from 1961 ( I worked there in the 70's)

 

[CarAgencyGuy]

I live in Seattle now and we have MoPop (formerly Experience Music Project) that boast exhibits, music history, a performance space and a restaurant. Highly successful. How cool would it be to take what is now a 'historic' building (I think it's the only original studio left) and do something along the same lines? Hawaii has such a unique radio history.

 

[TheBigA]

Hawaii needs someone like Paul Allen to buy the building from the LLC that owns it now. Then that could happen.

This is becoming an issue around the country where radio stations are selling their heritage tower locations with 1930s-era transmitter buildings. The new owners buy the land, demolish the art-deco buildings, and put up condos and mixed use developments. Others have opined that it would be nice if those old transmitter buildings were preserved and turned into museums. Great idea. The question is who would do it?

That question could be extended to many things, including radio itself. We're at a point where there is little profit to be made from owning radio stations. That's why it's becoming harder for companies to sell to anyone other than religious operators.

 

[CarAgencyGuy]

Hawaii needs someone like Paul Allen to buy the building from the LLC that owns it now. Then that could happen.

This is becoming an issue around the country where radio stations are selling their heritage tower locations with 1930s-era transmitter buildings. The new owners buy the land, demolish the art-deco buildings, and put up condos and mixed use developments. Others have opined that it would be nice if those old transmitter buildings were preserved and turned into museums. Great idea. The question is who would do it?

That question could be extended to many things, including radio itself. We're at a point where there is little profit to be made from owning radio stations. That's why it's becoming harder for companies to sell to anyone other than religious operators.

Hawaii radio is a unique market you have KSSK who has had a monster share of the market for 50 years running with Michael W Perry that worked at signals like these. You have a Mayor that used to run KING TV in Seattle. You have a built in tourist base for performances you tie it to island lifestyle and music. The current owners of the building don't seem to give a damn about it so maybe they'd be happy to have a five year tenant.

 

[kwthom]

Hawaii needs someone like Paul Allen to buy the building from the LLC that owns it now. Then that could happen.
<...>

Who would be a person of that stature that could do that now, since Allen has passed on?

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Who would be a person of that stature that could do that now, since Allen has passed on?

Tech Billionaire Larry Ellison Makes A Rare Appearance In A Hawaii Court

Unions representing employees say the company shut down without giving them their final paychecks.

www.civilbeat.org

Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison now lives on Lana'i, the Hawaiian island he mostly owns. Here's how he's working to turn the island into a wellness utopia and '100% green community.'

Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison bought the majority of the island of Lana'i in 2012 for an estimated $300 million. Now, he lives there full-time.

www.businessinsider.com

Does Larry Ellison count as a candidate.

 

[Kelly A]

Larry Ellison can care less about history. He's all about only investing in things that will potentially make him money down the road. Radio wouldn't be one of those things.
Paul Allen had a thing for history that included many million dollars in the Seattle Center Music Museum, formerly the EMP (Enormous Manure Pile), to a sizable warbird collection at Paine Field in Everett, WA.

 

[CarAgencyGuy]

anyone living in Honolulu have any update on this building? supposedly they had a deadline to fix it up. what does it look like now? 1701 Ala wai Blvd.

 

[davideduardo]

anyone living in Honolulu have any update on this building? supposedly they had a deadline to fix it up. what does it look like now? 1701 Ala wai Blvd.

Were Jacobs and Rounds and the famous promotions director who went on to "organize" Woodstock there when you worked at Kay-Poi?

 

[CarAgencyGuy]

Were Jacobs and Rounds and the famous promotions director who went on to "organize" Woodstock there when you worked at Kay-Poi?

No I was after that but Ron Jacobs was mornings across the street at KKUA and Lan Roberts was doing mornings at KORL. Moffatt had gone on the concert promotion. Rounds I have no idea. I later had the chance to work with Jacobs I was a young kid doing weekends and fill in who had no idea just what a legend he was.

 

[davideduardo]

No I was after that but Ron Jacobs was mornings across the street at KKUA and Lan Roberts was doing mornings at KORL. Moffatt had gone on the concert promotion. Rounds I have no idea. I later had the chance to work with Jacobs I was a young kid doing weekends and fill in who had no idea just what a legend he was.

Rounds went from HI to KFRC. Jacobs did Fresno (where he competed with Drake) and Riverside / San Berdoo on the way to KHJ. After Rounds went into concert promotion he got together with Jacobs to do AT40.

I don't think Rounds did anything between being a Poi Boy and San Francisco, as we never talked about that. But I can ask Barbara the next time we talk or get together.

 

[CarAgencyGuy]

update. was there last week. they cleaned off the graffiti and put a fence around it.