Construction began on the new studio space at 1211 Ave. of the Americas, some 8,900 sf formerly occupied by the Dish of Salt eatery, last September. The plan is to use the space for what has been described as an audience-participation program, originally slated to launch last month.

The then-pending conflict in Iraq pulled resources from the new venture to focus on war coverage, and the space will sit dormant until peace is declared and coverage ends, sources say.

But activation of the space should move relatively quickly once the war is over, say sources, who report that the space is 90% fitted out and equipment is being rolled in. The launch will mark the end of a massive reconstruction process for such a relatively small space, including the elimination of a supporting column in the middle of the studio and the installation of more than 50 tons of new steel.

Haines Lundberg Waehler was the studio's architect. Fox News is a division of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., which is headquartered in the building.