urbanMSP

The Strib reported this past week that TPT has raised 2/3 of the $30 million needed for a renovation of their building next to the Union Depot. Sounds like most of the money raised so far has come from several foundations/philanthropic organizations, and now they're going to start poking some of their big donors -- they aren't planning on advertising their project through pledge drives, though.

They're planning to expand downward from their current skyway-level location. Much of the lower levels of the building is dedicated to parking, so I don't know whether there will really be a whole lot of office or production space in the remodel -- I've heard it described earlier as a new entranceway, and the Strib article mentions some community meeting rooms, children's space, and "entertainment" -- perhaps a small performance space/auditorium?

http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/169860476.html

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_ ... y-december

This renovation is happening! When I last walked through, the parking is offset and in a different part of the building. It really doesn't take up the entire first floor. I'm not sure what was back there, I seem to recall a lot of blanked-out windows. I think a new main entrance on the street level will provide good visibility. I do hope, however, that in reconfiguring the space they keep windows on the skyway level that look into the space. Perhaps even reconfigure the space so that passers-by in the skyway can view the studio? It's been many years since I took a tour of the inside, but it would be pretty cool to be able to see the Almanac set from the skyway.

I also hope that this renovation includes the portion of skyway between Union Depot and TPT -- the part with the curved ceiling and colored lights. Swap the colored lights to LEDs that can light up the ceiling differently. Replace the carpet with something more durable like terrazzo. And turn down the damn heat! I get an idea of what menopause must feel like....

I also hope that this renovation includes the portion of skyway between Union Depot and TPT -- the part with the curved ceiling and colored lights. Swap the colored lights to LEDs that can light up the ceiling differently. Replace the carpet with something more durable like terrazzo. And turn down the damn heat!

And put in windows, for God's sake!

I was just in there about a month ago -- the studios (like in most facilities) are in the center of the complex and separated from the skyway by an area of offices and the like.

I've seen a few recent tweets mentioning that a number of TPT employees have moved out of the construction area, apparently to another building, but I'm not sure where. David Gillette posted this a little while ago: https://twitter.com/GilletteTPT/status/ ... 6335892480

A walkthrough of the remodeling effort from last week:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152582604277493

And they added a time capsule, planned to be opened in 2065:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152595561417493

On their facebook page, they also have a little tour of their former facility from the early 1980s. Worth a watch.

I feel like I should have realized this through osmosis or just by seeing it on a building directory, but TPT's employees have simply moved across the street to 180 East Fifth during the renovation (across the tracks, on the block between TPT's normal building and Cray/Galtier Plaza). They're under 90 days left before moving back into the TPT building.

https://www.facebook.com/tptalmanac/vid ... 603177493/

People have moved back into the TPT building. The Almanac folks posted a new tour video:



As part of the move, the station is now known as "Twin Cities PBS" although it's still being abbreviated as "TPT". The TPT logo has also been tweaked a bit. The name seems awkward to me, but maybe they're trying to reflect the shift toward online viewing vs. broadcast.

I'll just take this opportunity to note that it's always driven me crazy that some branding consultant thought that it would be a good idea to abbreviate Twin Cities Public Television as TPT.

Twincities Public Television?

Exactly. And at the same time, they managed to disregard 50 years of precedent to abbreviate "television" as "TV".

I know, right? It should have been MPT, Minneapolis Public Television.

Anyway, all is forgiven now, because TPT now stands for Twin Cities PBS. Obviously.

Thank goodness they simplified things, because KTCA always stumped me.

The TPT change always seemed weird at first, but it definitely became their identity. KTCA was one of their two call signs. And when they made the transition to TPT, it was already known how multicasting over ATSC would work, resulting in many more possible channels over the same two signals. I'm sure they thought of TCPT, but it doesn't work out loud like TPT did.

Don't you dare try to explain away my curmudgeonly gripe.

Augh open plan office space! The horror!

It's still just a glorified municipal parking ramp.

**walks away slowly**

"My favorite part is seeing the light rail pass by"

Anyway, all is forgiven now, because TPT now stands for Twin Cities PBS. Obviously.

Thank goodness they simplified things, because KTCA always stumped me.

Well, they were first incorporated as "Twin City Area Educational Television", so that stood for "Twin City Area" with a K prefix.

But whatever, name changes are always a bit awkward whether they make sense or not.

Augh open plan office space! The horror!

Yeah, I wonder if that's going to turn out to be good or bad in the long run.