WXPN Will Open Its New Doors Friday

Philly station WXPN(FM) plans to open its new studio facility Friday.
The city mayor is among those who are scheduled to attend. Also being launched in an historic building is an entertainment venue called World Cafe Live after the station’s program “World Cafe.”
The organizers hail their project as an innovative partnership between a for-profit enterprise and a not-for-profit public radio station as well as part of the University of Pennsylvania’s efforts to develop and revitalize part of its campus.
The address is 3025 Walnut Street, which is the Hajoca Building, a former plumbing supply structure; like the station, the university owns the building. It is being developed as part of a $15 million renovation project.
The radio station now uses separate, smaller facilities on Spruce Street and another location several blocks away.
Station officials have said that by having studios located with a separate but related venue “means we’ll have a physical place where XPN members, our on-air talent and staff, and musical artists can come together as one community.” The studios and World Cafe Live are financed and managed separately. World Cafe Live licenses its name from the radio show, which is distributed by Public Radio International.