Get an inside tour of Hangar One restoration work

Hangar One has sat, stripped and desolate in Moffett Field for over a decade. Now, the structure is being rebuilt through a joint project between Google subsidiary Planetary Ventures LLC and NASA to become a center for scientific innovation.

Planetary Ventures is leasing the gargantuan, skeletal structure from NASA Ames, which took over the property from the U.S. Navy in the 1990s. Plans to rebuild Hangar One were put on hold in 2003 when the structure was found to be leaking toxic chemicals, including lead and asbestos. Planetary Ventures was selected by NASA and the General Services Administration for a 60-year lease agreement for Hangar One and Moffett Airspace in 2014.

On Friday, May 6, Rep. Anna Eshoo and Rep. Zoe Lofgren toured Hangar One and voiced their support for the project. The structure was once nearly demolished due to the chemicals in the material, despite being on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, Hangar One was included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of 11 most endangered historic places in the United States. For years, Eshoo has been vocal about her support for preserving Hangar One, a local landmark.

In 2011, instead of being demolished it was stripped down to its frame, with unique features like its cork room and reinforced custom windows removed.

In March, restoration began on Hangar One with construction crews working to remove harmful chemicals from the site. Repainting of the frame should begin in the summer, and construction is expected to finish in 2025. The plans include structural improvements as construction progresses. The finished structure should look similar to the original building once it’s complete.