Historic Hangar One Getting Google-Funded Makeover

The massive airship hangar from the 1930s at Moffett Federal Airfield will be restored by Google Planetary Ventures.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, May 16, 2022 at 08:56 AM ET

Verified

A look at Hangar One after it was skinned. [File Photo: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

Hangar One, a historic and colossal airship hangar at Moffett Federal Airfield, is finally undergoing restoration by Google Planetary Ventures after years of discussion and its outer skin being removed.
The restoration was necessitated by environmental hazards, as the original structure contained toxic materials like lead, PCBs, and asbestos, leading to its partial deconstruction.
Public outcry and preservation efforts were instrumental in saving the irreplaceable landmark from demolition, leading to Google's lease agreement which includes replicating the hangar's original visual characteristics.

See a mistake? Contact us.

After years of discussion, Hangar One, the airship hangar at Moffett Federal Airfield (KNUQ), is being restored.

The behemoth building, standing at 200 feet high and 1,133 feet long, is the largest in Santa Clara County and one of the largest freestanding buildings in the world. It was constructed in 1933 to house the USS Macon, a 146-foot tall, 785-foot-long dirigible operated by the U.S. Navy, and was designed with doors on either end that could be drawn back on rails, allowing an aircraft to enter or exit from either direction.