Google Offers to Restore NASA’s Historic Airship Hangar to House Private Jets

Architizer News

Google Offers to Restore NASA’s Historic Airship Hangar to House Private Jets

December 13, 2011

Photo via NASA

Though Google has had a rather slippery grip on the virtual world as of late (the Google+ friend adds have stopped trickling in at this point), the company has been chugging along with its global architectural conquest, injecting funds into eclectic offices, historic landmarks, and even supporting new social housing projects. Next on its list: Hangar One at NASA’s Ames Research Center, the massive zeppelin-accommodating airship hangar in California’s Moffet Field, and the hopeful new home for Google’s fleet of private jets.

The hangar spans over eight acres of open space and stands alone without interior columns or supports, making it one of the largest freestanding buildings in the world. Neglected for decades after airships were no longer considered viable military vehicles, NASA let go of the costly upkeep, and the hangar fell into disrepair. The structure is currently in desperate need of restoration, as its external paneling, laden with toxic chemicals, is currently in the process of being removed, thus leaving the frame and foundation bare and exposed to the elements. The historic hangar awaits its saving grace in the form of a $33 million restoration bill, and here comes Google looking for the ideal space for private jet parking. While some find the pairing sacrilegious, the bottom line is that this Naval monument is in dire need of repair, and Google is a bordering-on-military force to be reckoned with.