Conceptual rendering of the Public Media Commons, courtesy of the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis.
The Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis kicked off a yearlong construction project on Tuesday to build the Public Media Commons, an interactive “urban space” in the city’s midtown district.
Designed to be a “powerful expression” of the future of public media, the Public Media Commons is a pedestrian-friendly and interactive space that will give visitors the opportunity to view content on wall-size screens as well as curating content via interactive and touch displays. The community space will also have concert space and public art including a digital “tree.”
The Nine Network’s partners include the University of Missouri-St. Louis and St. Louis Public Radio, whose recently completed new building is adjacent to the Public Media Commons.
“This partnership has been a great example of organizations working together to achieve something that we could not have achieved alone,” said Jack Galmiche, president of Nine Network in St. Louis, Tuesday during a televised speech on KSDK-TV.
The project, which will cost a reported $5.2 million, is privately financed. Financing was provided by: Emerson, Ken and Nancy Kranzberg, Emily Rauh Pulitzer, Edward Jones, Interco Charitable Trust, The Trio Foundation of St. Louis, and the Richard A. Baker Foundation.