WTXF, Fox Television Station, Inc. Philadelphia, PA
90,000 S.F.

Strategy: Upgrade an existing station to Digital, renovate the entire building and create two new studios and indoor parking. The challenge was to complete the whole process while remaining on-air!

Results: The five-story office building afforded swing space as the construction moved from the roof down. A street front studio was built first to allow for ongoing broadcasts. Later this studio would broadcast the morning shows reflecting the trend for a visual connection between the activities on the street and the newscasters.

The underutilized top two floors were vacated and gutted and the 4th floor built out for operations. A new 3,500 S.F. studio was created on the third floor – removing the slab between the two floors to allow for a ceiling height capable of housing lighting and ductwork for a first class news broadcast. A balcony overlooking the studio was built and accessed from the General Manager’s conference room.

The newly created newsroom, occupying the third floor, opened to the 4th floor, connecting operations to the production of the news. Beams and ductwork were left exposed, to communicate the General Manager’s desire for an urban gritty aesthetic. The newsroom was located adjacent to the large studio to improve efficiency and all perimeter offices were glassed in to allow for greater sightlines from reporters to editors.

The Phasing Plan called for the graphics operations that were to be housed on the second floor to move temporarily into the studio, freeing up the 2nd floor for renovation. Also to be located on two with graphics was an equipment room, production control and master control rooms.

Once this phase was completed, the abandoned cellar space could then be renovated to hold a generator, redundant power and telephone rooms.

The work on the first floor, completed last, included the creation of indoor parking for satellite and microwave vehicles, a reception area, designed for security and an easily accessible human relations department.

The work included an entire new mechanical system, complete system integration and all new furniture. Construction of the project was completed in a period on less than one year.