СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ

End of an era: Ahead of move, СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ’s call letters removed from DC building

WASHINGTON — It’s the end of an era.

As СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ prepares to leave its Northwest D.C. location for new digs in Chevy Chase, Maryland, crews on a crane scaled the station’s current HQ to carefully remove the station’s call letters Friday morning.

Early next year, the Glass-Enclosed Nerve Center will move to a new building at 5425 Wisconsin Avenue. Federal СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ Network (WFED) is also making the move.

WTOP and WFED call letters befoe the big removal. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Nahal Amouzadeh)
СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ and WFED call letters befoe the big removal. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Nahal Amouzadeh)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ's call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ’s call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ's call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ’s call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ's call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ’s call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
WTOP's current building after the removal of the station's call letters November 16, 2018. СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ is moving its headquarters to Chevy Chase, Maryland, early next year. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ’s current building after the removal of the station’s call letters November 16, 2018. СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ is moving its headquarters to Chevy Chase, Maryland, early next year. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
The call letters are packed on the back of a truck. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Nahal Amouzadeh)
The call letters are packed on the back of a truck. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Nahal Amouzadeh)
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WTOP and WFED call letters befoe the big removal. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Nahal Amouzadeh)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ's call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ's call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
Crews removing СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ's call letters from its Idaho Avenue location. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
WTOP's current building after the removal of the station's call letters November 16, 2018. СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ is moving its headquarters to Chevy Chase, Maryland, early next year. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Ginger Whitaker)
The call letters are packed on the back of a truck. (СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ/Nahal Amouzadeh)

Both stations’ light-up call letters have been emblazoned across СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ’s Idaho Avenue Northwest building since 2006. СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ has been in its current building for nearly 30 years.

What happens to the call letters now? Initially some staff members had planned to divvy up individual letters as souvenirs, but it turns out they’re all bolted to a single backing bar and interconnected with electrical wires. The letters are also pretty hefty.

There are tentative plans to store the letters at СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ’s transmitter site in Wheaton, Maryland.

Jack Moore

Jack Moore joined СÂÜÀòÓ°ÊÓ.com as a digital writer/editor in July 2016. Previous to his current role, he covered federal government management and technology as the news editor at Nextgov.com, part of Government Executive Media Group.

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