George Rebane

KVMR-FM and Nevada Theater have come up with a match made in heaven.  This is indeed good news that is a win-win for both organizations and another feather in our community's cultural cap.  (RR readers are aware that I do a bi-weekly radio commentary on this station.)  The press release below tells it all.

FOR RELEASE July 7, 2011
CONTACT: Briana Ezzell  (530) 265-9073
Kathy Dotson (530) 210-9343
 
       NEVADA CITY, CA — KVMR community radio 89.5 fm and the historic Nevada Theatre will join forces to build a new home for the station in downtown Nevada City and to expand backstage space and increase programming in the 146-year-old theater.
      The two organizations will reconstruct the three "tin sheds" behind the theater, creating a building to house KVMR's operations, with additional dressing and green rooms for the theater.
      The unique collaboration between two of Nevada County's most respected non-profits will strengthen them while maintaining their independence and personalities, and will create an exciting opportunity for the two to work together in unprecedented ways.         "This is such an exciting marriage – the theater of the stage meets the theater of the mind," said Michael Young, president of KVMR's board of directors. "We will construct a building that will be the pride of the community and underscore downtown Nevada City as the go-to place for arts and entertainment."
       The move enables KVMR to stay in downtown Nevada City and form the center of a "theater district" connecting the Nevada Theatre with the nearby Miners Foundry. The building entrance at Bridge and Spring streets will be designed as a "community corner."
       The radio station plans to add a control booth and equipment to the 350-seat theater, enabling it to broadcast large music groups, choirs and orchestras, drama, holiday productions, special events, radio theater and community forums.
       KVMR will support Nevada Theatre and its productions with publicity and live broadcasts, thus increasing the theater's profile in the region and building broader support for the theater's programs.
        "This is an exciting opportunity for the Nevada Theatre which enables us to further our mission of providing the community with an accessible, usable and valuable cultural asset," said Paul Drake, president of the Nevada Theatre Commission. "We will be able to make the most out of the strengths of two different but complimentary non-profit organizations."
      Under a letter of intent signed recently, the two groups plan to set up a partnership, managed by both, to hold the land, the new building and the "Ice House" structure also on the property.
        The new building, to be designed by Nevada City architect Jeff Gold, will be a modern, state-of-the-art facility inside, while the exterior will remain faithful to Nevada City's historic architecture. The building will include meeting space for community groups, non-profits, and arts and environmental organization.
      The project will soon begin feasibility studies and the city's permitting and approval process. KVMR's capital campaign, which has been working quietly for more than two years to raise about two-thirds of the required funds, will be expanding in the coming months in cooperation with the Nevada Theatre Commission. Construction could begin as early as summer, 2012.
       "It will be a great accomplishment to get KVMR a new home and it's something the community really needs to get behind.  I'm happy to be part of the campaign," said Michael Funk, chairman of KVMR's capital campaign.
        The Nevada Theatre is California's oldest original-use theater. As California Historic Landmark No. 863, it has seen thousands of presentations since it first opened in 1865 including performances from Mark Twain and Emma Nevada to Mötley Crüe and The Second City comedy troupe. Today it remains a vital part of the community, used for live theater, movies and special events.
       KVMR community radio 89.5 fm (105.1 fm in the Truckee/Reno area) started in 1978 in a tiny shack on Banner Mountain by two of the community's most ardent preservationists, artists Charles Woods and David Osborn. It was named after the Victorian Museum (the VM of KVMR), which the two created in the Miners Foundry. It eventually moved to the Foundry and now rents space in an office building across the street at 401 Spring St.
       Both organizations have not-for-profit 501(c) 3 charitable status and rely on small staffs and community volunteers. KVMR is an independent non-NPR community station, one of only about 350 nationwide.
        "Through the astounding generosity of our community, the collective vision of a new KVMR home will be a reality," said David Levin, KVMR's general manager.  This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a community hub."               
       KVMR is fueled by more than 700 volunteers who function as broadcasters, office staff and help for events such as the Celtic Festival in October. It is the only media in the region staffed live 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and functions as the county's official emergency broadcast station. New equipment planned as part of this project will help guarantee that the station stays on the air as it did during the recent severe winter weather, providing critical and timely information to the community.
      The construction of a new station with new equipment and technology will enable KVMR to increase sound quality to its broadcast listeners, increase syndication of its cutting edge programming and improve its stream on the web to listeners outside its transmitted listening area.
     KVMR long ago outgrew its rented space across the street from the theater. The new building will provide space to store the station's vast music library and will also include more computers for future storage needs. And, it will provide modern and efficient office space necessary for the staff and volunteers to perform their duties.
      "KVMR will now be a pristine model of radio's future-the go-to destination." Levin said.