Delano, CA to Sell Historic Voice Of Amercia Broadcast Site for Redevelopment

The City of Delano, California, is preparing to sell one of its most historically significant properties — the former Voice of America (VOA) Transmitting Station, an 800-acre Cold War-era shortwave broadcast facility that once beamed U.S. programming across the Pacific Rim. The site, now city-owned, is poised for disposition under California’s Surplus Land Act, signaling a new chapter for a landmark of mid-20th-century technology and diplomacy.

From Global Propaganda Powerhouse to Local Asset

The Delano Transmitting Station was built in 1944 by CBS for the U.S. Office of War Information to broadcast Voice of America programs to Asia and the Pacific. At its height, the facility operated over one million watts of transmitting power, with some towers soaring 400 feet into the air. Its array of antennas—including six reversible Rhombics—made it one of the most powerful shortwave relay sites in the world.

By the early 1950s, the station housed three cutting-edge 250-kilowatt Collins 821A1 transmitters, capable of automatically retuning frequencies in just 20 seconds—a technical feat at the time. The final VOA broadcast went out on October 27, 2007, at 8:30 p.m., ending more than six decades of international broadcasting from Delano.

Years in Federal Limbo

Following its closure, the facility was transferred to the General Services Administration (GSA). The U.S. Marine Corps initially expressed interest in taking over the property, but no deal was finalized. Under federal law, the GSA was required to offer the site to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for possible use as homeless housing. That option remained open for several years but never advanced to acquisition.

Environmental complications further delayed demolition. The California Department of Fish and Game temporarily halted plans after identifying an endangered shrew species on the property. Demolition eventually resumed under Standard Demolition, which began clearing the site in November 2023.

Before the teardown, preservationists salvaged one of the original transmitters. The Collins Collectors Association successfully removed the 250-kilowatt “DL8” unit in 2014, now on display at the Antique Wireless Museum in Bloomfield, New York.

City Takes Ownership and Eyes Redevelopment

The City of Delano purchased the property from the federal government in June 2020 for $5 million, acquiring four parcels totaling roughly 800 acres. The site was annexed into city limits in 2021.

Currently managed as open space, the city has used the land primarily for resource and fire management. In 2025, Delano issued an RFP for grazing services across 793 acres to reduce vegetation and wildfire risk. The submission deadline was October 30, 2025.

City officials now plan to declare the site “surplus” and begin the process of offering it for sale in compliance with state law.

Navigating the Legal Path to Sale

Before the property can be sold, Delano must complete several procedural steps:

1. General Plan Consistency:
   City staff determined the sale aligns with the Delano General Plan, noting the property is not required for open space or parkland. The Planning Commission is scheduled to confirm this finding on November 12, 2025.

2. CEQA Exemption:
   The transaction qualifies for exemption under Section 15312 of CEQA, which covers the sale of surplus government property.

3. Surplus Land Act Compliance:
   The city must first offer the land to affordable housing developers and school districts, as required by state law.

4. Future Use:
   The approximately 804-acre site is currently zoned for Agriculture (A) and Community Facilities (CF). Future buyers will be required to maintain land use consistent with existing zoning or seek reclassification for projects that align with Delano’s long-term development goals.

A Landmark’s Next Chapter

The sale marks a pivotal moment for Delano, which is in the midst of updating its General Plan to guide development over the next two decades. City leaders envision the former VOA site evolving into a mixed-use hub, incorporating housing, retail, and open space.

Once a symbol of America’s voice abroad, the Delano VOA site is now poised to become a cornerstone of the city’s future growth.