Some spots are iconic to their locations. In downtown Olympia, there’s the elegant Capitol dome, tree-shrouded brewery complex and the midcentury, stilt-legged KGY radio building that juts over Puget Sound. Completed in 1960, the building’s panoramic view has been home to KGY FM’s on-air team but now looks towards a different future off the airwaves.
The radio station, which has now moved equipment to their Bush Mountain tower site, is still going strong with music, local news and live DJs who keep Thurston County dancing around the clock. They’ll soon begin everyday operations from a new home downtown.
Despite Changing Locations, KGY and KAYO FM Keep the Music Streaming 24/7
Nick Kerry is KGY’s general manager and has been with the station for more than a decade. He explains that they successfully moved broadcast equipment to the Bush Mountain building in August 2024 with less than three hours of off-air time in the process. This site operates like an office’s server room, Kerry explains, hosting audio servers, Emergency Alert System (EAS) equipment, monitoring equipment and the computer hardware required to keep the station on-air 24/7.
Consolidating operations at the Bush Mountain site, from which KGY has rented space since 2016, provides access to the location’s on-site backup generators. “This will help ensure our stations, 96.9 KAYO and 95.3 KGY will be on-air during power outages and potentially during critical situations such as natural disasters,” explains Kerry.
KGY’s lease with the Port of Olympia runs through December 31, 2024 but they will continue to lease the tower site for AM 1240 from the Port. “Many people will recognize this as the parking lot with the amazing view of Budd Inlet, where trucks and boat trailers can park after they launch their boat at Swantown,” says Kerry.
From One Stunning View to Another, KGY’s Eye-in-the-Sky is Going Strong
Kerry says that their former home at 1240 North Washington Street was designed by prolific mid-century architect G. Stacey Bennet of Joseph Wohleb & Associates. It was built in 1960 by A.J. Phillips, now known as Forma Construction.
Before that, they were located at the corner of State Avenue and Washington Street in the Rockway-Leland Building from 1941 to 1960. Besides the equipment at Bush Mountain, the station’s new home will be 711 Capitol Way South in the Evergreen Plaza Building, next door to the Governor Hotel. Staff is currently working to install a studio suite on the building’s top floor.
“Many people comment about how amazing the view is from KGY’s waterfront studio,” says Kerry, “and it truly is one of the most picturesque and scenically beautiful spots in all of the Puget Sound. While it’s tough to replace that amazing waterfront, KGY’s new studio and office in the Evergreen Plaza building has a very impressive view of downtown Olympia, Capitol Way, the Eastside of Olympia, Sylvester Park, the Old Capitol Building and the State Capitol Campus.”
The Port of Olympia retakes ownership and management of the KGY building December 31, 2024 and its future use will be determined upon completion of the Port Peninsula Integrated Master Plan, which is currently underway. Once the Master Plan is finalized, Port officials will open a Request for Proposals (RFP) from businesses interested in the location.
The Port of Olympia and KGY Radio: Longstanding Partners Working for Olympia
As two of Olympia’s long-standing organizations, the Port and KGY have worked together many times over the years. Kerry says that they’ve advertised community events on both KAYO and KGY as well as attending in-person.
“During my time at KGY,” recalls Kerry, “we’ve been at the Boat Swap & Chowder Challenge for remote broadcasts, publicized Movies at the Marina and during 2020 the station set up a small transmitter to deliver audio for drive-in movies. KGY’s stations have also promoted community events held on Port property such as Thurston County Chamber Foundation’s Olympia Brewfest at Port Plaza and the South Sound Block Party that happens next-door to the KGY building at North Point. Throughout the years, KGY has enjoyed this aspect of our relationship with the Port of Olympia, helping spread the word about all of the exciting community events the Port organizes and hosts each year.”
KGY Looks Towards the Future, One Song at a Time
As with any move, finding the right new home took careful consideration. Kerry gives a shout-out to broker Danielle Rants from the Rants Group for her help on the long, 18-month journey. He also praises KGY’s engineering team who facilitated the two-phase move.
“KGY’s new home at the Evergreen Plaza will be a compact modern broadcast facility that will serve our needs for many years to come,” says Kerry. “Everyone at KGY Media Group and I look forward to welcoming the business community to our new space with a ribbon cutting in early 2025, as well as inviting listeners and the general public to a station open house later in 2025 to tour KGY’s new home.”
A Partnership with the Port of Olympia
Alex Smith, executive director of the Port of Olympia, expressed the Port’s ongoing commitment to supporting local businesses like KGY: “KGY has been an integral part of the Olympia community for decades, and we really appreciate the strong relationship we’ve built over the years. As the Port looks to develop the area around the KGY building, we are excited about future possibilities that will benefit our community while honoring the station’s legacy in our city.”
You can find news and updates regarding the transition of the KGY site on the Port Peninsula Integrated Master Plan page, as well as the newly launched Community Hot Topics page. These sections are designed to provide timely, relevant information and updates on important issues, including the KGY building.
Or stream the 95.3 KGY and 96.9 KAYO radio stations to stay on top of news, weather, activities and toe-tapping music from your radio, phone, car or streaming service.
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