Hangar One restoration unveiled by Google in Mountain View

Google's Planetary Ventures completed the restoration of Hangar One at Moffett Field and received EPA certification after removing PCBs and other contaminants.

Google's Planetary Ventures completed a multi-year restoration of Hangar One at Moffett Field and unveiled the finished structure at a March 20 ceremony in Mountain View. The hangar was reclad and received upgrades such as new plumbing and a ventilation system, and the Environmental Protection Agency certified the site as fully remediated. Built in 1933 to house the USS Macon, Hangar One later closed to human use after PCBs, lead paint and asbestos were found in its exterior materials. The structure sat as a stripped shell for years before Planetary Ventures took responsibility under a 60-year lease from NASA that included restoring the hangar. Key facts: - Planetary Ventures led the restoration and held a celebration with local officials on March 20. - The restoration was completed in December and included recladding of the siding and roof plus new plumbing and ventilation. - Contractors cleaned about 1.8 million square feet of steel, then primed and repainted the frame and added siding, doors and windows. - The project removed PCBs and other contaminants that had kept the hangar closed, and the EPA certified the site as fully remediated. - Hangar One covers about eight acres and is described as one of the largest freestanding structures in the world. - Google, through Planetary Ventures, took a 60-year lease with NASA to operate Moffett Field; the lease terms included estimates of maintenance savings and planned investments tied to the restoration. Summary: The restoration returns a long-visible regional landmark to its original form while addressing the contamination that had kept it closed since the early 2000s. Community members and officials at the unveiling noted the scale of the work and the role of the private-public partnership, and Planetary Ventures has not publicly announced final plans for the hangar's use. Undetermined at this time.