As 2013 drew to a close, the California Historical Radio Society (CHRS) announced that it had signed an agreement to purchase a building in Alameda, California to house the Bay Area Radio Museum and Hall of Fame. CHRS currently operates out of the historic KRE building in Berkeley and its days there have been numbered after the building changed hands following a bankruptcy (CHRS didn’t own the building).
CHRS has been fundraising since June, 2012 in order to purchase its own space and had originally hoped to buy the KRE building. When that plan failed to materialize, it began a search for an alternate space. Donors have pledged nearly $800,000 so far and CHRS is asking for donations to be remitted immediately in order to facilitate the building purchase. It is also hoping for additional donations (its goal is $1.16 million) so that it has enough funds to buy the $950,000 building and have extra on hand for upgrades. If an “angel” donor is able to contribute $300,000 to $500,000, naming rights for the building will be granted to that donor.
Donations can be made on the CHRS website, where there are also some photos of the Alameda location. And, if you are already feeling wistful about CHRS having to leave the KRE building, you can stop on by this Saturday, January 11th between 9am and 3pm to help pack up the Maxwell Historical Communications Research Library.
Here’s a peek at the current CHRS digs at KRE and a video tour of the hoped-for future home of CHRS in Alameda
