sketchclub.net: The El Paso Sketch Club: The 1940 KROD Studio

Located at the northeast corner of Walnut and Wyoming, this building is one of the most recognizable in the Sun City. Construction started on February 19, 1940 and the facility was opened by KROD Radio in May, only 3 months after groundbreaking. The architect was El Paso icon Otto Thorman, and the building contractor was Robert D. Lowman.

The building differs a bit from Thorman's drawing, in that the frontage on Wyoming is substantially wider, and the depth of the building down Walnut is reduced. The structure is a single-story brick stuccoed "New Spanish" style, with a striking corner tower and rows of pleasing arched windows. "New Spanish" was the description provided by Thorman, although we would call it a Spanish Revival.

The building was erected with two large studios, a news broadcast room, ten offices, and a pair of lounges. The larger of the two studios was 48 by 24 feet, with audience seating for 150 people, and large enough to accommodate an entire orchestra. The studio walls were constructed to be soundproof and to conform to the exacting acoustic requirements of radio broadcasting. The studio's doubled walls were built on a system of felt pads and springs.

The building stands today in great condition, and is still in use as a studio, the home of the KSCE Radio and Television stations.

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Text and research provided to Sketchclub.net by Mark Stone, citing period newspaper articles accessed through newspapers.com