Climate Center plans slow-going
Alexia Lang
Issue date: 9/7/09 Section: News
Plans for a Climate Sustainability Center to possibly be built on UMKC property have been slow-going since the idea was announced in April.
As a part of the Green Impact Zone endorsed by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a $350,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration will fund studying and planning for a $50 to $70 million Climate Center.
Bob Simmons, assistant vice chancellor of Facilities Management, is serving on the planning board as a representative for UMKC.
He said organizing a time for all of the parties involved to meet has been difficult. But the group will meet in September to review 11 planning firms that expressed interest in the project.
They hope to narrow the list down to five firms.
With the proposed site of the Climate Center located where 4825 Troost, 4747 Troost, 4741 Troost and 4743 Troost are now standing, the new facility could displace hundreds of students, staff and faculty if built (also see U-News, vol. 77, issue 1, for more information).
Simmons said the university is assembling a faculty group to review all of the information and assess the needs of the departments located on the site should they have to move.
KCUR, a public radio station, and the UMKC Police Department will likely be the most complex departments to move.
Patty Cahill, general Manager of KCUR, does have some experience moving radio stations.
About 20 years ago, she moved the station she was managing at Wichita State University.
"We moved across an alleyway to another building," she explained. "And it was really fun because the person who was on the air had a rolling chair and so we just rolled him from one studio, down the back alley to the other studio. We put on a long record. We rolled him in and he just made his announcement from the new studio. And that would be ideal, of course. But I suspect that that will not happen here because I don't know where we would roll a person to."
One of the biggest concerns with moving a radio station is a possible interruption in programming.
As a part of the Green Impact Zone endorsed by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a $350,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration will fund studying and planning for a $50 to $70 million Climate Center.
Bob Simmons, assistant vice chancellor of Facilities Management, is serving on the planning board as a representative for UMKC.
He said organizing a time for all of the parties involved to meet has been difficult. But the group will meet in September to review 11 planning firms that expressed interest in the project.
They hope to narrow the list down to five firms.
With the proposed site of the Climate Center located where 4825 Troost, 4747 Troost, 4741 Troost and 4743 Troost are now standing, the new facility could displace hundreds of students, staff and faculty if built (also see U-News, vol. 77, issue 1, for more information).
Simmons said the university is assembling a faculty group to review all of the information and assess the needs of the departments located on the site should they have to move.
KCUR, a public radio station, and the UMKC Police Department will likely be the most complex departments to move.
Patty Cahill, general Manager of KCUR, does have some experience moving radio stations.
About 20 years ago, she moved the station she was managing at Wichita State University.
"We moved across an alleyway to another building," she explained. "And it was really fun because the person who was on the air had a rolling chair and so we just rolled him from one studio, down the back alley to the other studio. We put on a long record. We rolled him in and he just made his announcement from the new studio. And that would be ideal, of course. But I suspect that that will not happen here because I don't know where we would roll a person to."
One of the biggest concerns with moving a radio station is a possible interruption in programming.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jill DeWitt
posted 9/09/09 @ 9:16 AM CST
With UMKC climate scientists and sustainability projects already making noteworthy progress, and MO Department of Conservation and Department of Natural Resources staff nearby at the Discovery Center, this sounds like a tremendous opportunity for the university to build climate programs. (Continued…)
Brian
posted 9/13/09 @ 10:42 AM CST
This is a stupid idea and a horrible, inexcusable waste of money. The idea of human-caused climate change is obviously worthy of study, but it's such a minor issue. (Continued…)
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