Christian radio stations KVNE and KGLY are settling into their new Tyler home.

After 28 and 26 years, respectively, at a building near East Erwin Street and Loop 323, the stations moved to a new facility at 7695 Old Jacksonville Highway.

Although the first broadcast from the new studios happened in October, the ribbon cutting and open house took place earlier this month.

“I appreciate what God has done,” KVNE station manager and morning show host Mike Harper said in a phone interview. “I appreciate what friends of the ministry have done not only with their dollars … (but also) their time and their prayers.”

The nonprofit organization Encouragement FM, through which both radio stations are licensed, broke ground on the new facility in September 2013 and had the first broadcast there on Oct. 29, 2014. That date was the 31st anniversary of the initial 1983 broadcast for KVNE.

Harper said the new facility gives the station several advantages compared to its old space. First is its size.

The old space was a few thousand square feet and the new space is 10,600 square feet, Harper said.

The new space has a large community outreach room that is available for people to use for meetings, projects or small concerts.

In addition, the new location offers improved visibility and is in a growing part of the community, Harper said.

“The big difference is the reach we’re able to do in outreach,” Harper said. “We’re going to be visible. We’ve got the facility and the staff to provide for folks and get the word out about their events.”

The new space is a blessing not only for outreach and ministry, but also for storage and workspace, Harper said.

“We were just stacked on top of each other at the old facility,” he said, adding that the old space served them well for the two-plus decades they were there.

The new facility was made possible through donor support. Harper said so many people came together to provide for it. People’s regular contributions continue to provide for the operating budget.

Harper said he encourages people to come out and see the station “because we’re so proud of what God has done and we want to share it with the community.”