Mid-West Family plans $3M broadcast center

Pending approval of a conditional use permit from Springfield City Council, Mid-West Family Broadcasting is planning a November start date on a nearly $3 million radio broadcast facility on about four acres at the 2400 block of East Elm Street.

Mid-West plans to replace its current operation facility located in about 6,600 square feet of rented space in Battlefield Plaza, a Jared Enterprises-owned center adjacent to Food 4 Less on East Battlefield Road, where the company has leased space for more than 15 years, said Jason McCutchin, president and general manager of Mid-West.

McCutchin said Mid-West has a contract in place to purchase land on East Elm Street pending permit approval by council. Springfield-based MoDoCo Inc. would serve as general contractor of the project designed by Becher Hoppe of Wisconsin, and McCutchin said Mid-West's tentative move date has been set for Sept. 30, 2013.

"We are asking the city for a conditional use permit to build the tower. According to the code and the way it's zoned, we could build the building, but without the tower, the building does us no good," McCutchin said. "In looking at our options for our long-term plans for the company, it was better for us to build a facility."

The issue goes before council Oct. 22 for a first reading, and if there are no problems, it would receive a final reading and a vote Nov. 5, McCutchin said.

With the approval, McCutchin said Mid-West would move forward on a one-story, 10,000-square-foot broadcast center with a 155-foot tower - replacing the company's current 50-foot tower. He noted construction of the building and tower, as well as new studio equipment, would push the price tag to nearly $3 million.

"It will be a state-of-the-art broadcast facility," he said, noting no new hires are planned with the move.

McCutchin moved to Springfield in June from Madison, Wis., where he worked as chief financial officer and treasurer for five markets under Mid-West Management, a sister group of Mid-West Family Broadcasting. McCutchin succeeds Rick McCoy, and the new local president is charged with managing four radio stations in Springfield – Q102.1, 104.7 The Cave, 105.1 Bob FM and 92.9 The Beat.

Reporter Brian Brown contributed to this article.