Wednesday, July 1, 2009

King Studios funding approved, renderings updated

Cincinnati City Council has approved unanimously a transfer of funds to help clear a site for the $12.5 million King Studios project in Evanston.

Under the new ordinance, $950,000 in funding remaining from a $2 million capital improvement program project account, established in 2005 to provide residential exterior improvement loans, will be shifted to a new account to acquire, demolish and assess the sites of three Montgomery Road properties, just three blocks from the original Brewster Avenue site of King Records.

The 30,000-square-foot community focal point, which will include an interactive memorial hall, recording studios, and visual arts training facility, will be owned and operated by a limited partnership that includes the Evanston Community Council, Ultrasuede Studio, Flavor of Art Studio, and Xavier University.

SHP Leading Design is the project architect.

Launched by Syd Nathan in 1943 as a country label, King Records eventually got in on the ground floor of the burgeoning rhythm and blues market.

The company soon grew into the nation's sixth-largest label, and was ahead of its time in putting African Americans into positions of leadership in recording, pressing, designing, warehousing and shipping – all of which was done on site.

King Records was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum during a historical marker unveiling and ceremony last November.


Updated renderings provided by Jeffrey Sackenheim, vice president, SHP Leading Design.

Previous reading on BC:
Funding transfer could prepare Evanston site for King Studios (6/17/09)
King Records renderings (12/10/08)