One of the myriad challenges of living in sub-Arctic, rural Alaska is building construction.
With a relatively tiny pool of skilled construction crews, carpenters, and electricians, it can be difficult to avoid delays — oftentimes, unexpected ones — when creating new structures, even in the hub city of Nome (KNOM’s hometown). That’s definitely the case with our digital studios expansion project, although we’re heartened to report that, as the holidays approach, work is once again moving forward.
The photos above and below show the state of our Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios as of mid-November. After some unanticipated construction delays in the late summer and early autumn that were beyond our control, carpenters David Booth and Randy Pomeranz (pictured) have been back at it. Among the most recent additions to the construction (as seen in the pictures) are highly energy-efficient LED lights, window sills, and soundproofing (still under plastic) for each studio room door.
As you may know, our studio expansion will give us a facility that’s not only larger but also, most crucially, more modern, easily-repaired and cost-efficient than before. For more details, we’d encourage you to explore our Digital Studios page on this website.
As of mid-November, our available funds for the project (including grants and pledges) stand at $702,177, slightly more than two-thirds of our overall project estimate of $1 million. Thanks so much to everyone whose support is making our future studios possible!