Relocation gives KOSU new spaces for community involvement

Story provided by Oklahoma State University

KOSU and The Spy have announced a major move to 18 N Klein Ave., a building located in a burgeoning area west of downtown Oklahoma City. 

KOSU’s new 5,200-square-foot studio will not only allow for future expansion but will house music and news production under one roof, creating a new synergy for the station’s staff and nonprofit partners. The new design for the space features seven new studios for community production, as well as work and meeting spaces for community journalism. 

“Surrounding ourselves with some of Oklahoma’s brightest and most creative visual and audio artists each day inspires our work and sparks the curiosity that becomes the award-winning stories, information and events that define KOSU and connect us with our community,” said KOSU Executive Director Rachel Hubbard.

“We are pleased that KOSU and The Spy will be under the same roof, a continuation of the collaboration that has developed between the two organizations over the past 11 years. We view this location as a hub of activity and hope to contribute to the neighborhood where StarSpace 46, Beer City Music Hall, Stonecloud Brewing Company and the new Mexican Consulate already call home,” said Ferris O’Brien, owner of The Spy and the building the two entities will soon occupy.

O’Brien said the historic space will be brought to life with new technology and visionary design, with the goal of elevating both KOSU and The Spy. 

In 2013, KOSU expanded its operation from its original location on the Oklahoma State University campus to include a new studio on Film Row inside the Hart building. On the music side a year earlier, KOSU partnered with The Spy to bring independent and local music back to the airwaves in Oklahoma. This resulted in a significant increase in community engagement and support that helped fund the move from Stillwater to OKC.

Since expanding its physical footprint in Oklahoma City, KOSU has increased investment in Oklahoma news, addressing the need to connect residents with local news that impacts their daily lives. New coverage areas include Indigenous affairs, agriculture and rural issues, and water. 

The upcoming relocation will move KOSU’s Oklahoma City studios to the Farmer’s Union building, which was originally built as a hub for agricultural producers in 1921. Renovation of the space is set to begin this fall with the opening of the new studios planned for March 2024. 

In this move, the building will once again be a hub for civic inclusion. Members of the public will be invited to work with KOSU and The Spy as they continue to build community around local and independent music and journalism. The new technology available in this building will continue the work creating a modern system for news and information for Oklahomans.