Construction of the new state-of-the-art production studio and headquarters for St. Louis CBS affiliate, First Alert 4, is complete with Keystone Construction Company as the general contractor. The advanced technology, expansion of sets and innovative workspaces bring the facility to the forefront of broadcast facilities in the nation. Design-build contractor Keystone Construction Company transformed an existing three-story, 45,000-SF office building through a major exterior and interior renovation project to give the station 26 percent more usable space than their previous building. The new facility features two broadcast studios with 14 total presentation areas, a larger newsroom, two larger dressing rooms, two control rooms, a data center, seven satellites, LED-screen backgrounds, a fitness center and more.
“This new facility has transformed the work environment for our entire team and puts the station in a position of success for the foreseeable future,” said Bill McCormac, Director of Technology for First Alert 4. “We have a staff of creative people who are going to find great ways to use this new technology to optimize viewer experience and engagement.
The features of the new facility open up significant production flexibility and creative control while reducing technical planning time. Production inside the station’s previous, 55-year-old facility had nine studio cameras and a single control room. The new facility has 21 cameras and two control rooms. The extra cameras allow flexibility for producers to move from area to area with no delay. The extra control room provides redundancy of equipment and allows KMOV to broadcast two live signals to viewers at the same time. The building allows for future growth.
The range of sets will provide for more types of guest interviews and an enhanced viewer experience. Producers now have 14 presentation areas, each with dedicated cameras. For the first time, the station has an interview set for news producers to utilize with three cameras for multiple, well-composed shots. A lifestyle studio features a working kitchen and couch seating that is optimal for in-studio interviews. A touch screen will be used for sports shows.
First Alert 4 is the first in the market to integrate LED screens behind the anchors. The industry standard for local news stations is an array of monitors. Arrays show the bezels or edges of the monitors, limiting what can be shown on them. The new LED screen is a large seamless canvas that gives a clean and modern look and allows producers to put a single, large background around the anchors.
The new building has transformed the workplace environment for team members. The old location had a traditional, closed floor plan with few areas for teams to collaborate. The new space was built with multiple areas for teams to meet and collaborate. 12-foot ceilings throughout give a more open and expansive feel. Ample large windows fill the space with natural light; previously, there weren’t any windows on the first floor. Unique in the industry, one of the control rooms has windows with coverings that can open when the team doesn’t need complete darkness.
“The team’s working conditions have been transformed. The staff were laughing with joy the first time they saw the windows and natural light in the control room. They have only worked in control rooms in complete darkness,” said McCormac. “Across all floors, there is a different feeling in the building. People are walking around happy because the building is so open and airy and just feels good to work in.
The new building systems are more energy efficient and provide new redundancies and more precise control. A backup generator was installed with the capability to power the entire building. Electrical and HVAC system upgrades accommodate the higher demands of the new facility. An advanced building control system provides more precise control over temperature to enhance the working environment. Previously it was a challenge to keep the temperature even between spaces. Lighting is now exclusively LED fixtures that not only improve energy efficiency but also reduce heat output for a more comfortable work environment.
The project team installed new specialty soundproofing systems and audio/visual equipment throughout. Enhanced audio systems as well as the format of the new sets, better outfit the station for live music performances. In total, two miles of wiring were installed by Beck TV across the facility.
Move to the new facility had to occur in phases. Rehearsals in the news and control rooms lasted six weeks and there were just 14 hours between the final broadcast at the old facility and the first broadcast in the new facility. The team signed off at 8 am on Sunday, December 3rd at 1 Memorial and signed on at 10 pm at the new facility at 77 Progress Parkway. “There isn’t time to get 12 servers running and wired up, so all equipment has to be new,” said McCormac
As the design-build contractor, Keystone was tasked with defining the project scope and ensuring that the design and construction were delivered in alignment with the client’s goals. The architect was Partners By Design. Cole & Associates was the civil engineer. Barrett, Woodyard & Associates provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering services. NAI DESCO was the real estate broker for the purchase of the existing building and two-acre lot.