KSFO - No. 1 Nob Hill Circle
In
1942, the Office of War Information was operating its West Coast
shortwave program services (predecessor to the Voice of America) from
San Francisco, transmitting essential news and propaganda to the
Pacific during World War II. But the OWI's first
location in the modest studios of KGEI in the Fairmont Hotel was much
too small for its needs. The government turned to KSFO’s
Wesley Dumm for help, and he built a new studio complex for both KSFO
and the OWI in an annex to the Mark Hopkins Hotel.
The studios were located in the hotel’s former parking garage
underneath the hotel, which was felt to be safe from enemy
bombs. An extension of the building was added facing south
towards Pine Street. It housed the station offices and was
the façade of the radio facility, known as Number One Nob Hill
Circle. Completed in 1943, this elaborate facility became the
source of most programming for KSFO, KGEI, KGEX, KWID and
KWIX.
After NBC moved into its new Radio City building in 1942, the former
NBC studios at 111 Sutter Street were also taken over by the
OWI. After the war, KSFO took over the entire
building, and it also served as the first studio for KPIX-TV.
After KSFO and KPIX moved out in 1954,, some of the studio space was
returned to the hotel's parking garage, but the offices and remaining
studios again echoed with the sounds of radio as the home of KYA from
1958 to 1979
PHOTOS:
SFour views of No. 1 Nob Hill Circle in San Francisco:
TOP: July 1 and November 30, 1942.
BOTTOM: April, 1943 and a view today (Google Maps).
(Photos courtesy of Kevin Mostyn)