Just before Christmas, the University of Missouri-Kansas City informed all tenants of 4825 Troost Avenue — the largest of which are KCUR and Classical KC — that they must vacate the building by the end of January.
Since this news first emerged, we've received a lot of questions from the community about why this is happening now, where KCUR and Classical KC will move, and how it will affect our services.
Many of these answers are still being worked out, and the situation is developing quickly. This article will serve as an ongoing resource that we will update when we are able to share additional information.
Where are KCUR and Classical KC going?
KCUR and Classical KC are required to move everything out of this building by Jan. 31, 2026.
No plans for relocation were made ahead of UMKC's announcement on Dec. 22, 2025, which left our newsrooms and radio stations just over one month to find a new home to work and broadcast from.
No lease for office or studio space has been signed as of Jan. 15, 2026. We are currently exploring a variety of options.
Will KCUR and Classical KC go off the air? How will the move affect broadcasting schedules?
No! Both KCUR 89.3 or 91.9 Classical KC will remain on air, and available to stream online as before.
Up To Date will be airing reruns or be temporarily replaced with other radio programming as we transition our broadcast equipment out of 4825 Troost, but the exact schedule is still being determined.
KCUR's newscasts and digital properties like Kansas City Today will maintain their regular schedule. But you may hear slight changes in sound as we produce audio content outside of our usual studios.
We will update this section when we have more exact information.
What about KCUR's recently-upgraded transmitter and antenna? Is that moving?
No. The transmitter and antenna remain at their current location in eastern Jackson County. KCUR's 90-mile bi-state broadcast area remains the same.
Why is the building being vacated now?
4825 Troost was built in 1949, and the building has been deteriorating for some time.
In its Dec. 22 message to staff, UMKC announced that "in recent weeks, facilities staff have observed that the rate of deterioration has accelerated. Specifically, the settling of the foundation is occurring at a faster rate, and we’re concerned about potential impacts on the mechanical systems including the boiler and sewer lines, which could render the building uninhabitable with minimum notice."
Is this move temporary or permanent?
There is not time or resources to identify the permanent future location for KCUR and Classical KC. Our priority is to find a location that is suitable for maintaining our broadcasting capabilities for the time being, so that our services to the community remain uninterrupted.
Is KCUR/Classical KC still a part of UMKC?
Yes. Both stations remain a service of UMKC, and the staff of KCUR and Classical KC are employees of UMKC.
Is there room for KCUR/Classical KC on the UMKC campus?
UMKC officials told staff that "UMKC doesn’t have enough space to house the large KCUR team and it doesn’t have studio space, so we will be looking at off-campus space."
Can everyone just work from home?
Until a new location has been determined, many of our staff will have to work remotely for some amount of time — but that is not a sustainable solution.
As broadcast media organizations, the audio functions of both stations require us to find a place for the "brains" of our signal and the people who operate them. This was true during the COVID pandemic — when most staff relocated to their homes, we still had staff operating the broadcast equipment inside 4825 Troost.
Working from home is not an option for a segment of our staff.
Is this move connected to the separation of UMKC from KCUR/Classical KC?
No. The closure of 4825 Troost is unconnected to UMKC's separation from KCUR and Classical KC, which remains ongoing.
Is this connected to the federal defunding of public media?
No, the closure of 4825 is not related to federal funding losses.
Will this move impact staffing at KCUR or Classical KC?
Staffing levels are not related to our location or the move.
How can I help?
First off, THANK YOU!
We are grateful to everyone in the community who has provided ideas and offers of space, packing and moving materials, financial donations, food for our staff, and so much more.
Thanks too to the many volunteers who are helping pack up our storage rooms and office space. If you are interested in helping in any of these ways, please contact kcur@kcur.org.
Is this the first time KCUR has moved?
Far from it, although KCUR has been at 4825 Troost since 1985.
KCUR began broadcasting at the then-University of Kansas City on Oct. 21, 1957, from the third floor of Scofield Hall. We had a staff of two and a budget of $15,000 from the university.
In 1965, after losing and then regaining funding from the university, KCUR relocated to 524 Pierce Street, just north of the Kauffman Gardens. These houses were purpose-built by William Rockhill Nelson for employees of The Kansas City Star and were purchased by the University in 1949.
A small staff continued to operate the station from there, during which time KCUR received its first community service grant from the newly-created Corporation for Public Broadcasting (1970) and became a charter member of the newly formed NPR (1971). In 1976, KCUR moved to 5327 Holmes, currently home to UMKC's Roo News student newspaper.
Staffing and operations continued to grow, and in 1985 the station moved to its current location at 4825 Troost. KCUR launched Classical KC in June 2020, broadcasting from the same building.
What other tenants have been at 4825 Troost?
This building was purpose-built in 1949 as the university's chemistry and biology department. Many university departments have been located in the building, including:
- UMKC Library (1966)
- Fine Arts department and the UMKC Gallery of Art (1972)
- Student Services Building
- International Student Affairs Office
- Testing and Counseling
- Campus Police
- Continuing Legal Education
- Roo Pantry
- Center for the City
- Information Technology Services
- SPARK Flossie Pack Center for Lifelong Learning
- JumpStart
- KC Rep (current)
- KC STEM Alliance (current)
