Local radio institution KMFA is closing in on what has been a quiet, months-long search for a new home, and current signals point to a Toomey Road address. A space crunch at the station’s North Lamar office, coupled with an ambitious business plan, has led the 30-year-old classical musical station to a serious search for a suitable place to build new offices and a state-of-the art studio, said board chairman Frank Bash. Additionally, KMFA hopes to expand its reach on several other fronts, including providing broadcasts from performance halls. “We’ve been in the process of thinking very seriously about our future,” Bash said, “and we want to become a major player in the arts in Central Texas.” (Bash is the director of the UT McDonald Observatory.)
The Toomey Road property, owned by Susan Toomey Frost, is one of a few locations KMFA is considering. Land owned by the Deaf School on South First is another alternative, as are existing downtown office buildings, Bash said. But what makes the Toomey site attractive is its proximity to a number of arts facilities, including the yet-to-be-built Long Center for the Performing Arts. KMFA had initially hoped to install a studio at Long, but that would have been more expensive than building their own facility. In any case, listener-supported KMFA will need to raise more than a fistful of dollars to carry off its expansion and outreach efforts. As Bash observed, “We’re trying to put together a high-jump deal.”
This article appears in June 21 • 2002.
