KGNU’s New Downtown Boulder Project, One of Ten Community Projects Awarded the Community Revitalization Tax Credit Through Colorado Creative Industries

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KGNU’s New Downtown Boulder Project, One of Ten Community Projects Awarded the Community Revitalization Tax Credit Through Colorado Creative Industries

On June 26th, Governor Polis and the Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced 10 recipients of the Community Revitalization Tax Credit (CRTC). The program supports creative sector capital projects such as studio, performance, and arts education spaces that incorporate features like housing, childcare, retail, or other community spaces.

“Colorado continues to lead the way by supporting the creative industries in our state. We know that arts and culture do more than improve our quality of life. The arts help our thriving economy, contributing nearly $20 billion per year and supporting over 120,000 jobs across the state,” said Governor Polis.

Boulder Community Broadcast Association, (KGNU Community Radio) – Boulder – $850,000
This KGNU site will feature a media training room, expanded production studios available at low or no cost for nonprofits, artists and students; a community cafe and cultural space; and a performance space accommodating 60-90 people. These spaces will be accessible to nonprofits, artists, and cultural organizations who are otherwise unable to access affordable spaces in the downtown area. Digital upgrades will improve the station’s emergency alert capabilities.

“Community Revitalization Tax Credit recipients are elevating the role of the arts and creative industries in communities across the state, from Durango to Walsenburg. Their work, which includes creating housing Coloradans can afford and additional childcare services, will support our placemaking efforts across the state and build a Colorado economy that works for everyone. We are thrilled to support their efforts,” said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT Executive Director.

Read the full Press Release from OEDIT – CCI

“The announcement of the CRTC award for KGNU is not only an important investment and opportunity for our project and community, it’s also an important recognition of the crucial role that community and public media outlets play in our state to inform, engage, educate, and amplify community, culture, music, and the arts.  This recognition comes just as the Senate prepares to vote on the White House rescission bill that is slated to revoke $1.1 Billion in previously appropriated congressional funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, impacting hundreds of community and public media outlets across the country and dozens of partner stations across Colorado.  It is great to see that Colorado not only recognizes the vital role community media plays in our communities but is willing to make investments into the future of community media projects to support a healthy democracy in our state.” said Tim Russo, KGNU Station Manager

The CRTC award announcement comes just a couple months after KGNU closed on an $8.5 million New Markets Tax Credit (NTMC) project in partnership with Colorado Housing Finance Authority’s (CHFA) Colorado Growth and Revitalization Fund (CGRF) to support the renovation and repurposing of the 1720 14th St property into KGNU’s new headquarters and community media center.  This is a first of its kind NMTC project within the City of Boulder.

“New Markets Tax Credits are a powerful tool that incentivize private investment to support economic development and revitalization in under-served communities throughout the state,” said Steve Boice, manager of business finance at Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA). “We are proud to leverage this critical resource for Colorado to support KGNU’s new facility and their work to deliver news and information while also providing space to support nonprofit organizations, community events, and educational opportunities.”

Learn more about how you can support the KGNU Amplifying Community Capital Campaign

Project Background:

In Mid-September 2024, KGNU Community Radio, with support from community members, individual donors, foundations, and the City of Boulder, started the renovation of the property it acquired at 1720 14th Street in downtown Boulder.

KGNU, Boulder’s 47-year-old local Community Radio, is currently housed in a 5,900-square-foot facility, located at 4700 Walnut Street that is bulging at the seams, has older technology, and limited community space for the plethora of activities that KGNU hosts, including over 100 live in-studio artist on-air musical performances to date in 2025.  KGNU is adapting, repurpose, and upgrade their newly acquired downtown building to provide a resilient, flood-proofed, energy-efficient building equipped with a solar micro-grid rooftop and ample battery backup storage, permanent media training space, community cafe, rooftop deck, modern studios, and intimate performance space, all wrapped into this multicultural community media center.

The Amplifying Community campaign introduces an approximate $8.8 million project buoyed by a $1.25 million City of Boulder match from the Community, Culture, Safety voter ballot initiative passed by 83% of the Boulder voters.  With equity in the current building, the $1.25 million city match, the New Market Tax Credit, the City of Boulder Commercial Affordable Pilot grant, community and foundation support and now the CRTC award, the project is quickly becoming a reality in support of injecting a much-needed independent non-profit cultural space into the heart of Boulder to support the creative economy, downtown revitalization, and an engaged and informed community.

According to KGNU Station Manager, Tim Russo, “KGNU’s new home for media, arts, and culture will be a dynamic place with expanded community space for discussions and debates, lectures, community conversations, concerts, and multicultural events that serve an ever-diversifying community across Boulder County and the Front Range.  Bringing the vision to fruition is only possible thanks to thousands of community members, and dozens of amazing partners who have stepped up to invest in the future of KGNU and the community.”

By nearly doubling its space with the repurposed 10,000 sq/ft downtown building, KGNU seeks to stimulate, educate, and entertain our audience, to reflect the diversity of the local and world community, and to provide a channel for individuals, groups, issues, and music that have been overlooked, suppressed, or underrepresented by other media.

Powered by over 200 people volunteering on-air, with another 200 plus volunteers working behind the scenes throughout the year, an inter-generational group of dedicated community members locally produces more than 85 percent of KGNU’s news and music programs.

Once the renovation is complete, the broader community will have greater programmatic access to engage in increased opportunities to explore career pathways in journalism and media, an affordable performance space, modern broadcast studios, and increased connectivity, including community and co-working spaces.  This not only benefits those in and around Boulder but also the tens of thousands of loyal listeners who tune into and stream KGNU every week.

“A multicultural community media center will enhance the lives of residents in Boulder. KGNU’s project is visionary and has great potential to become a model that stations across the country can emulate.” Sally Kane, Former CEO, National Federation of Community Broadcasters.

The list of improved amenities, heightened sustainability, and community-informed space is impressive, including but limited to:

MUSIC

A place to showcase independent eclectic music and musicians with a modernized music library and more space for local artists to share their talents via live in-studio and broadcast performances.

ARTS & CULTURE

The new facility will provide affordable event space for artist exhibitions, public art displays, and community events inside and on the rooftop deck.

MEDIA

State-of-the-art digital studios, a permanent media-makers space, and dedicated training facilities are designed to host and teach more community members to support emerging media-makers.

RESILIENCY

The new flood-proofed, energy-efficient facility will expand terrestrial and digital programming, reduce downtime, and enhance community resiliency, and emergency alerting.  Podcasting & digital studios, improved HD side channels, increased connectivity, and greater accessibility to tools and resources are paramount to supporting the best possible community-based programming, learning, and skills-building opportunities, while being prepared to support the community during times of ever-more-prevalent disasters.

The construction will continue through the fall of 2025 with operations expected to begin from the new facility in early 2026.  Hard hat tours are available.  Those interested in learning more about how to support the campaign can reach out to Tim Russo, [email protected].