As KGY gets ready to move, the station and Port appear to have path forward for its historic home
KGY radio, which has been perched on the north end of the Port of Olympia peninsula since 1960, is about to trade in a spectacular view for a pretty good one, the general manager of the station said this week.
And the station’s departure from the historic property that overlooks Budd Inlet is in a better state as well, said Nick Kerry.
“I’m feeling pretty positive about our exit,” he said, adding that he and the port are pretty much in agreement about the next steps.
KGY has signed a series of ground leases with the port over the years and its current lease, which was not renewed, is coming to an end this year. One element of the lease requires that when the tenant moves on, they are expected to restore the land to its previous state. That would mean tearing down the building.
Kerry has previously said that he has respectfully pushed back on the notion of tearing down the historic building both because of the cost to his business and because he feels it’s the wrong thing to do.
Instead, Kerry and the port currently are in talks about some other land-related issues the port would like to see the station address.
Meanwhile, the port received some good news on a recent structural assessment of the KGY building: It is in better shape than first thought, said Warren Hendrickson, operations director at the port.
The port had thought it would take a substantial investment to fix the building, but the assessment has described the building as in fair shape and estimates the cost of repairs at about $230,000, Hendrickson said.
“That’s well within the bounds of reasonable,” he said.
So what are the port and Kerry discussing?
The port wants the station to remove a small outbuilding and clean up an area that contains a septic tank and drain field. Kerry is getting quotes from contractors now, he said.
Where will KGY be now?
Kerry has signed a lease for just under 1,800 square feet on the seventh floor of the Evergreen Plaza building, a tall building on the west side of Capitol Way in downtown Olympia. The station has a southeast view of Olympia, Kerry said.
The station takes possession of the space on Dec. 1 and is expected to move the week of Dec. 16, he said.
As for any future decisions on the KGY building, they are on hold until the port can complete its port peninsula integrated master plan, which seeks to determine the highest and best use of the property in the area, Hendrickson said. That work is expected to be complete in mid-2025.
The port has held two open houses on the topic so far, and there will be more opportunities for the public to provide input, he said.
Hendrickson also wanted to make clear that the port understands the legacy of KGY radio to the community.
“We will find a way to honor it,” he said.
This story was originally published November 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
