After nearly four decades of laughter, memories, and morning routines, Live with Kelly and Mark has said farewell to its iconic Upper West Side studio. On April 1, 2025, the beloved daytime show aired its final episode from the location it’s called home for 37 years—marking the end of an era not only for the show, but for co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, whose personal and professional lives are deeply rooted in the space.
“It’s going to be hard to replicate,” Ripa shared in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, reflecting on the emotional final taping. The studio, nestled at 7 Lincoln Square on 67th Street and Columbus Avenue, has been a landmark for morning television since the Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford era. Ripa joined the show in 2001, and over the years, shared the stage with co-hosts Michael Strahan, Ryan Seacrest, and now, her husband Mark Consuelos, who became her on-air partner in 2023.
But for the couple, the studio is more than a workplace—it’s part of their family’s history.
“Our kids grew up here,” said Consuelos, moments after taping their final show in the space. “They’d come visit mom here a lot — they were always backstage, even when they were babies.”
Ripa, 54, recalled how her children—Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 22—practically lived at the studio in their early years. “They would go to All My Children with me, they would come here with me… when we say they grew up in this building, in these four walls, we mean it.”
At a time when maternity leave wasn’t widely normalized or supported in the industry, Ripa credits the show’s early morning schedule and supportive environment for allowing her to be fully present as both a mother and a working professional. “I was able to be a full-time working woman and a full-time mother simultaneously, which is a very rare thing and not something I take for granted at all,” she said.
The studio also fostered strong emotional ties beyond just family. Many of the staff members became integral parts of the Consuelos children’s upbringing. “Some of our closest friends are people that work here,” said Consuelos. Ripa added that her kids still keep in touch with longtime producers and team members—some of whom they consider “other moms” and trusted figures.
The building even played a role in the couple’s love story. In 1996, just days after a breakup, Ripa and Consuelos were unexpectedly reunited at the studio to film a segment for a Live with Regis and Kathie Lee Mother’s Day special. The serendipitous appearance led to reconciliation—and a surprise proposal. “Obviously, seeing her it was like, ‘This is the worst decision of my life. I have to be with her forever,’” Consuelos recalled. The next day, they flew to Vegas and got married.
“Isn’t that wild?” Ripa said. “We owe a lot to this place.”
Now, Live with Kelly and Mark is one of the last ABC programs to relocate to Disney’s new NYC headquarters at 7 Hudson Square, in the recently opened Robert A. Iger Building. The new space houses modern studios for The View, The Tamron Hall Show, and soon, Good Morning America.
But as the show embraces a new chapter, Ripa and Consuelos are carrying decades of memories with them—ones that can’t be recreated, only cherished.