Honolulu Skyline Loses Iconic TV Tower

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Jan 13, 2011 11:00 AM, By Michael Grotticelli

A TV and air wave announce building that has stood in the core of city Honolulu given 1962 will strictly be vanished inside of a month, but not for a insufficient of trying. Crews proposed dismantling the iconic make up in October of final year and were ostensible to be ended by now, but continue conditions and constructional challenges (including unseating pilings that attain 66ft underground) have hold up conform to progress.

The now-vacant 432ft building was owned by Raycom Media and many not long ago aired DTV signals for KGMB-TV (CBS) and KHON-TV (Fox) before being forced in to retirement. KGMB left the site in October 2009, when it amalgamated headlines operations with KHNL (NBC) and KFVE (MyNetwork TV). The 3 stations are right away collocated at KHNL's trickery in Kalihi, and their signals begin from a sufficient aloft height above sea level at Palehua Ridge, that overlooks downtown Honolulu.

Rick Blangiardi, broad executive of Hawaii News Now (a Raycom Media headlines subdepartment common by 3 local TV stations: KGMB, KFVE and KHNL), told a local journal that the make up is being taken down bit by bit and carefully.

"We're receiving this down in a village with people on foot underneath on the path and cars going by on the street," Blangiardi said, adding that the new towers at Palehua Ridge supply stronger signals that can attain and offer the local homes better. "We were unequivocally getting to a indicate where you were compromised in the abilities from a technical standpoint."

Crews from building construction firm Sky Jack Communications, in Hanapepe, HI, have private the 70ft mast, slicing it in to 1500lb pieces and obscure them to the ground, and are right away working on the building itself. Its legs will be unfastened in not as big sections to be lowered to the ground.

For years the building stood out at night in the Honolulu skyline, lucent the neon call letters KGMB and AKU, for KGMB's renouned DJ J. Akuhead Pupule, aka Hal Lewis. It has transmitted signals for KGMB Channel 9, KHET Hawaii Public Television and FM stations KGMB (now KSSK) and KQMQ. Lewis worked in studios at the foot of the tower, but his uncover was announce from a well-defined AM tower.

The building site and studios/offices are being converted in to 17,000sq ft of stores and restaurants with potion frontage. Developer Lionking II paid for the skill in early 2008 for $12.35 million.