The Curtiss-Wright Hangar Project

21 Replies

I thought aviation and history buffs would take an interest in this:

Introducing the Curtiss-Wright Hangar Project
Historic site set for revitalization
 
(COLUMBIA, SC) August 20, 2013 – The Curtiss-Wright Hangar, an incredible piece of Columbia’s aviation and architectural history, will be preserved and restored.  The namesake legacy will live on 84 years after its original construction to be completely renovated as a special event venue, family restaurant, and intimate South Carolina Aerospace Museum.  The Curtiss-Wright Hangar is designated on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Curtiss-Wright Hangar history is plentiful.  Opening in 1929, the hangar was the first building constructed at Owens Field by a Company formed between Glenn Curtiss and the Wright Brothers.  Thirty-five of these vintage hangars were built all across the country by the Curtiss-Wright Company and at best guess less than six still exist, but only this one remains in its original form.  The Curtiss-Wright Hangar was Columbia’s first terminal serving passengers and airmail service.  Famed aviator Amelia Earhart’s signature is still listed in Columbia airport’s logbook at 11:30 a.m., November 16, 1931 and President Franklin Roosevelt flew into the airport in the late 1930’s.  The vintage B-25 bomber that is still in the hangar will remain as a centerpiece for the restaurant and museum.
The developers our asking for the publics support for this historic project from the community, businesses, and aviation supporter’s worldwide and have created a crowd funding site at http://www.rockethub.com/projects/29493-curtiss-wright-hangar-project#description-tab.
For additional information on the Curtiss-Wright Hangar Project please visit http://columbia-hangar.com or to follow the project’s progress please follow us at https://www.facebook.com/TheCurtissWrightHangar.
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And maybe Burl, an acknowledged expert in these things, can offer some advice to the organizers…

21 thoughts on “The Curtiss-Wright Hangar Project”

  1. Silence

    That has to be the worst written press release I’ve ever read:

    The developers our [sic] asking for the publics [sic] support for this historic project from the community, businesses, and aviation supporter’s [sic] worldwide and have created a crowd funding site …

    Just to pick on one sentence.

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      1. Silence

        Hey, I was a social science major, but if I knew any English majors, journalists, ex-editor types, or writers of advertising copy, I think I’d recommend them to this challenged outfit.

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  2. Bryan Caskey

    Some great history there. I sincerely hope they get it restored. It would be a unique gem for Columbia.

    I’ve done a little bit to support the SC Historic Aviation Foundation, as they’re the folks who purchased the B-25 you see in the video. My law partner is a private pilot, and he is very involved with SCHAF. They had a wonderful fundraiser a few years back, with the daughter of Jimmy Doolittle as the keynote speaker. She had some great stories to tell about her dad.

    Hopefully the publicity will generate some funds to get this thing on track.

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  3. Silence

    The Curtiss-Wright Hangar (thank God the spelled “hangar” with an “a” for the second vowel instead of an “e”.), an incredible piece of Columbia’s aviation and architectural history, will be preserved and restored. (Assuming we raise $4.7 million, of course.) The namesake legacy (What does this even mean?) will live on 84 years after its original construction (But will not live beyond 84 years?) to be completely renovated as a special event venue, (Why do all this renovation just for one event? Why not have more?) family restaurant, and intimate South Carolina Aerospace Museum. (While perhaps technically correct, intimate was probably not the best word to use. Also, “aerospace museum” should be lower case, unless that’s the proper name of the place.) The Curtiss-Wright Hangar is designated listed, perhaps? on the National Register of Historic Places. The Curtiss-Wright Hangar (Need an apostrophe s there.) history is plentiful. Opening in 1929, the hangar was the first building constructed at Owens Field by a Company company formed between Glenn Curtiss and the Wright Brothers. (First building constructed at Owens Field, or first building constructed by The Curtiss-Wright organization at Owens Field?) Thirty-five of these vintage hangars were built all across the country by the Curtiss-Wright Company (nobody else was building these “vintage” hangars at the time) and at best guess less than six still exist, but only this one remains in its original form. (Whether or not this one is in “original form” is debatable. I have seen it.) The Curtiss-Wright Hangar was Columbia’s first terminal serving passengers and airmail service. Famed aviator Amelia Earhart’s signature is still listed in Columbia airport’s logbook at 11:30 a.m., November 16, 1931 (Nobody has erased it yet.) and President Franklin Roosevelt flew into the airport in the late 1930’s. (And boy were his arms tired!) The vintage B-25 bomber that is still in the hangar (Has it been sitting there since 1929? I think that’s unlikely.) will remain as a centerpiece for the restaurant and museum. The developers our (Seriously?) asking for the publics (Again, seriously?) support for this historic project from the community, businesses, and aviation supporter’s (This time you use an apostrophe? Come on!) worldwide and have created a crowd funding site at http://www.rockethub.com/projects/29493-curtiss-wright-hangar-project#description-tab. (They have also created a run-on sentence.)

    For additional information on the Curtiss-Wright Hangar Project please visit http://columbia-hangar.com or to follow the project’s progress please follow us at https://www.facebook.com/TheCurtissWrightHangar.

    If we can’t trust these folks with the English language, why should we trust them with donations?

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  5. Burl Burlingame

    After looking up the National Register nomination documentation … whoever takes it over has a big job ahead. The hangar will need to be Artifact #1 and they’ll need some serious DMC alleviation.
    As a vernacular architecture, hangars are a unique 20th-century phenomenon and examples need to be preserved. Good luck!

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      1. Mark Stewart

        I think he’s referring to the stuff we don’t think about, or want to think about – environmental contamination.

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  6. Mark Stewart

    The building is charming, quaint and an amazing relic of a bygone era. I think it is cool. It is, unfortunately, disappearing before our eyes, day by passing day. I hope that is can be saved and repurposed.

    That said, what are they asking us to support? The stabilization/renovation of the property to retard its decline and position it for potential repurposing? The SC Aerospace Museum itself? A “special event venue”? Or simply the family restaurant, god forbid? I ask because it would appear that the failure of any one part would likely bring down the others; which leads me to conclude that this is both 1) a noble effort and 2) likely one lead by the wrong people. As I have read about this, I continue to be reminded of the first rule with (re)development; if something doesn’t make a compelling case as a cohesive project, adding additional uses in the attempt to justify the financial outlay is the equivalent of chasing fool’s gold.

    I hope that someone is able to save this property. It is unique and it does, possibly, possess merit and future worth (unlike the Palmetto Compress building). That said, now may not be its time to shine.

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    1. Silence

      I think the building’s been stabilized somewhat. I don’t think it’s in quite as bad shape as it was when the NR documents were filed. I think there was also some money involved in the sale to this group that paid for asbestos cleanup. A little unclear about who paid for what, though.

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  7. Kathryn Fenner

    Well, Scott Linaberry was a successful bar owner and Joe Rogers oversaw both the State House and Governor’s Compound renovations….

    I think event venues are needed, from what I hear. I avoid “events,” so I wouldn’t know first hand. City Roots is doing well nearby, I understand.

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    1. Silence

      I think that area around Owens Field is having a bit of a rennaisance. I’m glad that both of those developers have a track record of success. Will they be moving the B-25 Mitchell to a house over in Hollywood Rosehill like they did with the Guv when they renovated his compound? Cause that’d be pretty freaking awesome.

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      1. Kathryn Fenner

        Gov went to Heyward at Woodrow, which is echt Shandon.

        Joe is not a developer; he is an architect. Also worked for Darla Moore in Lake City.

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  9. Burl Burlingame

    Sorry … Dissimilar Metal Corrosion.

    We use our hangars for rented venues all the time. Helps pay the bills. But your museum must be designed for physical flexibility.

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