SYRACUSE -- Membership numbers have been booming for student-run media organizations on the Syracuse University campus... and starting this fall, the amount of floor space devoted to those organizations will begin to catch up. A grocery store inside SU's Watson Hall will be closed down to make way for an expansion of Z89 (WJPZ-FM) and CitrusTV.
Thanks to a CNYRadio.com reader who spotted the news in a recent article in The Daily Orange, the campus newspaper. According to the article, both Z89 and CitrusTV have seen increased membership recently, and leaders from both media outlets say space has been at a premium as students squeeze into the existing spaces to work on projects. After several months of campaigning for more space, they got the "thumbs up" from the administration a couple weeks ago.
To make way for the expansion, SU will shut down the "Food Works" grocery store in Watson Hall. The items sold at Food Works -- and the employees who staff it -- will be relocated to other venues throughout the campus.
CitrusTV GM Ben Slutzky told The Daily Orange he'd like enough room to build a few more video editing stations. Former Z89 GM Alex Brewer told the paper the radio station plans to add at least one additional voiceover studio and a new conference space.
Both said details are still being finalized, and it's tough to tell exactly how long it will take for the work to be completed. Part of the uncertainty is due to funding. The newspaper says money will likely come from a variety of different sources including alumni of both stations and perhaps from the University itself.