By ROGER WOOD, InDepthNH.org
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An icon of Portsmouth, the WHEB Radio station building on Route 1, could soon become anything but a broadcast facility.
Two commercial real estate companies have advertised the 815 Lafayette Road property for $3.67 million. newenglandcommercialrealestate.com and loopnet.com both offer the property and suggest it could become some other use.
The ad has a photo of the front entrance to the radio station, and advertising copy for its sale. From New England commercial real estate offering, the land and building can be used for other purposes.
“Great redevelopment opportunity with 3.7± acres of developable uplands and potential uses including a car dealership, housing development, medical building, recreation complex, and more.
The Gateway Corridor Zone allows for many uses including multifamily, commercial recreation/fitness club, office and/or medical office, shopping center, and restaurant. Property includes 2 towers, a 492’ broadcast tower and a 217’ radio tower.”
The advertisement also mentions a billboard on site, with revenue of $66,000 a year. IHeart media currently owns the property, which houses several radio stations in the same building. The company already sold its other broadcast property in the city, originally WBBX AM, then WPLA, ceased broadcasting in 2015 at 1380 kilohertz an exit by WHEB from Portsmouth would mark the last radio station leaving that directly serves the city.
The company also owns WGIR in Manchester. A reliable source said that at least the morning radio team will be broadcasting from there this fall. An effort to reach the corporate headquarters of iHeart media has not been successful.
Roger Wood is an award winning radio, newspaper and television journalist, with over 40 years of experience in the media. Roger has spent his entire professional career in New Hampshire. Roger currently serves as associate publisher at InDepthNH.org. He has produced news and special feature reports for InDepthNH, New Hampshire Public Radio, NPR, and other Public and commercial radio stations. He also produced spot news for CBS Radio.