The University of Missouri-Kansas City informed staff Monday that the building that houses KCUR — Kansas City’s NPR station — may soon be ‘uninhabitable.’ Classical KC, the organization’s classical music service, will also have to move.
KCUR, some Kansas City Repertory Theatre offices and the KC STEM Alliance must vacate the building at 4825 Troost Ave. by Jan. 31.
The announcement stunned KCUR staff. KCUR General Manager Sarah Morris said a move will be difficult.
“Relocating two radio stations on short notice is complex and resource-intensive, particularly following so closely after the loss of federal funding earlier this year,” Morris said in a statement. “Despite these challenges, we remain committed to providing uninterrupted service for our entire audience.”
The union representing KCUR content producers said it was disappointed with UMKC’s “lack of transparency about the deteriorating state of the building and their decision to give us only a month’s notice to vacate a building we’ve known has had problems for years.”
“We’re concerned for the safety of our staff,” Tom Gebken, president of CWA Local 6360, said in a statement.
The building at 4825 Troost Ave. was constructed in 1949, and has been home to KCUR since 1985.
In a letter addressed to colleagues, UMKC said the building’s HVAC system has reached the end of its lifespan and said it discovered “numerous challenges in keeping the building in good repair.” Specifically, it said the settling of the foundation is occurring at a faster rate than before.
The university suggested time was of the essence.
“We’re concerned about potential impacts on the mechanical systems including the boiler and sewer lines, which could render the building uninhabitable with minimum notice,” the letter from two vice chancellors said.
The university said it had been planning to “decommission” the building for years but decided closing the building had to happen soon “to ensure the continued well-being and safety of employees who work there,” said UMKC spokesperson Stacy Downs.
KCUR staff learned the news at an emergency staff meeting. The station has not secured a new building. UMKC said “exploration already is underway to identify a suitable space for each group.”
The university will provide moving boxes and hire a moving company. A university official did not directly address whether any additional financial support, such as rent assistance, would be made available to KCUR.
“We know the timing of this move is less than ideal – but based on the accelerated pace of building decline, we believe it is in the best interest of employees to move to new space,” university leaders said in the letter.
The news comes amid a time of great change for KCUR. In February, KCUR and UMKC announced they would end their relationship by 2028 and KCUR would seek to continue as a stand-alone nonprofit organization.
In an FAQ sent to employees, the university said the transition timeline is unaffected by the sudden departure from the current location.
“That is a separate process that is ongoing,” university leaders said. Emails to KC Rep and the KC STEM Alliance were not immediately returned.
KCUR 89.3 is licensed to the University of Missouri Board of Curators and is an editorially independent community service of the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
This story was reviewed by an editor outside of KCUR, who is not an employee of UMKC.
