Marshall Space Flight Center, Engineering and Administration Building, Rideout Road, Huntsville

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS AL-999-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Marshall Space Flight Center, Engineering and Administration Building was built using curtain wall construction in the first half of the and is thus representative of the increasing use of this type of construction in office and institutional buildings. The contemporary building projected the image of Marshall Space Flight Center, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), as being at the forefront of modernity and technology.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS AL-999-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Recording of Marshall Space Flight Center s Administrative Complex was completed in by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), part of Heritage Documentation Programs, for NASA s George C. Marshall Space Flight Center It was conducted under the general direction of Richard O Connor, Chief, Heritage Documentation Programs and Melvin Mckinstry, NASA, Thomas Behrens and Mark Schara of Heritage Documentation Programs supervised the project. The recording team consisted of Doug Bacon (Auburn University), Paul Davidson (HABS), Jobie Hill (University of Oregon), and Ryan Pierce (HABS). The large-format photographs were produced by HABS Photographer Renee Bieretz.

Assisting the recording team were Joseph King and Sherry White, NASA, who provided access to the buildings and logistical support; Molly Porter and Mike Wright, NASA, who provided documents, photographs, and research assistance; and the staff of the National Archives and Records Administration-Southeast Region (Atlanta), particularly Shane Bell. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 2) PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 2. Architect: The Wyatt C. Hedrick firm of Fort Worth, Texas, under the supervision of Marshall Space Flight Center s Technical Services Office, designed the building.

It is not known how the firm was chosen, but it probably was because they designed Building and the site had been intended to be a complex of similar structures. See Marshall Space Flight Center, Administrative Complex, HABS No. AL-999 for more information. 3. Original and subsequent owners, occupants, uses: NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center has been the sole owner and occupant of Building (Engineering and Administration Building) since its construction.1 The building has always been used as an office and for administrative functions, although the departments and individual offices housed within have changed due to reorganizations and programmatic shifts. 4.

Builder, contractor, suppliers: Pearce & Gresham Company of Decatur, Alabama, submitted the low bid and consequently won the contract to erect the building.2 5. Original plans and construction: The plans for the Engineering and Administration Building called for a six-story rectangular office building with a full basement and a penthouse to be located behind the Central Laboratory and Office Building (Building The steel- frame structure with curtain walls was similar in color treatment and design to the Central Laboratory and Office Building. 3 The proposal for the building specified it would have built- up roofing, concrete floors with vinyl asbestos tiles in offices and corridors, suspended acoustical ceiling, lighting, heating and air conditioning.

Also included in the facility will be a permanent 1 NASA s standard practice is to refer to center buildings by building number rather than name. That convention will be generally followed in this report. 2 Bids for Engineering & Administrative Building in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, Record Group National Archives and Records Administration-Southeast Region (Atlanta) (hereafter cited as RG NARA-SE). Other firms who bid on the contract included Sullivan, Long and Hagerty of Birmingham, Alabama; Diversified- Kaiser of Paramount and Oakland, California; Paul Hardeman, Inc. of Stanton, California; and J.A. Jones Construction Company of Atlanta, Georgia.

The Bids for Engineering & Administrative Building states that Pearce & Gresham s bid was closest to the government estimate of while a press release from Marshall Space Flight Center states the company s bid was See Public Information Office, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Press Release, January 16, available from History Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama (hereafter cited as History Office, 3 Invitation for Bids, Engineering & Administration Building, December 15, in Folder 1d, Facilities-Engineering & Administration Building, in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 3) snack bar with an interim food serving line and dining area for 125 persons.

The scope of work also includes site work, utilities, and a 400 vehicle parking lot. 4 The materials used in the construction included grey and black porcelain enamel panels; grey, opaque grey, and clear glass fixed windows; diamond grey granite with a polished finish ; and pre-cast granite mosaic panels. The foundation and floors were reinforced concrete while the structural frame was steel. The curtain walls making up the second through sixth floors consisted of alternating bands of grey porcelain enamel and grey glass with aluminum mullions. The first floor columns were clad in polished diamond grey granite, and a strip of black porcelain enamel panels ran along the top of the first floor to separate it from the curtain wall construction of the rest of the building.

The east and west facades were slightly different from the north and south ones as the central bays were made up of pre-cast granite mosaic panels alternating with narrow ribbons of fixed windows. The penthouse on the flat roof was clad in vertical, insulated metal siding.5 The building s layout has been little changed from its original configuration. Visitors entered the first floor via the main entrance on the north fa ade, located three bays from the west end. A lobby, reception area, and separate waiting room to the west were near the main entrance. At the west end of the first floor was a 20' x 39' conference room with a rear screen projection room.

The snack bar, initially a cafeteria, occupied the east end of the floor and contained vending machines, separate scullery and food storage areas, and a dining room. Staff wanting a full lunch walked over to the cafeteria in Building At the center of the first floor was a service core with restrooms, elevators and elevator lobby, and mechanical and telephone rooms. The service core extended from the basement to the sixth floor. Centered on the west and east ends of each floor were stairwells and spaces for the air conditioning ducts. The second through sixth floors were generally arranged with the service core at the center ringed by a corridor with offices and conference rooms around the exterior perimeter to take advantage of the natural light.

On the second and fourth floors, an office and a conference room were located to the east of the service core while a large office was to the west. This was reversed on the odd-numbered floors. The conference rooms were all 20' x 32' in plan. The floor plan of the sixth floor was the same as the others, but in place of the conference room, there was a control room lined with drapes and equipped with a projection booth. The partitions separating the offices from the corridor were thicker than those on the other floors, where there were typically movable partitions. These slight differences reflected the use of the top floor by management. The penthouse was located on the roof above the elevators since it contained the elevator equipment and mechanical rooms along with some storage space.

Stairs from the sixth floor accessed the penthouse. The basement held the mechanical equipment room at the west 4 Marshall Space Flight Center, Fiscal Year Estimates, Engineering & Administration Building, Folder 1d, Engineering and Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, NARA-SE. 5 Wyatt C. Hedrick, Engineering and Administration Building, North Front Exterior Elevation, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A10, East End Exterior Elevation, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A11, South Rear Exterior Elevation, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A12, and West End Exterior Elevation, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A13. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No.

AL-999-B (Page 4) end with offices and the reproduction department (initially equipped with blueprint and Ozalid machines) to the east. A trash room at the southeast corner had a sidewalk lift to facilitate moving garbage from the building to the loading dock at ground level.6 Wyatt C. Hedrick provided the following breakdown of space in the building.7 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Space Basement Floor Floor Floor Floor Floor Floor Penthouse Total Lobbies, Corridors, & 618 Special Areas Core, Stairs, & 872 915 Duct Space Conference N/A 680 640 660 640 660 N/A Room Net Office N/A Space Gross Area Interior finishes consisted of vinyl asphalt tile floors (specified as Flintkote Flexachrome), except the bathrooms (ceramic tile) and mechanical rooms (concrete).

Stair treads and landings were also clad in vinyl asphalt tile. The offices had movable partition walls facing the corridors as well as dividing the office spaces. Office and conference walls were covered in vinyl wall coverings with a pique texture manufactured by the U.S. Gypsum Company. The color scheme was generally in a neutral color (sand or antique white), but some offices were noted as being painted clear aqua and green haze. The elevator lobbies were antique white or nasturtium. The restroom and lounge walls were of smooth plaster, while the mechanical room spaces had concrete or concrete block walls. Doors were generally wood in metal frames. The office and conference room ceilings were suspended while the bathrooms and elevator core had smooth plaster ceilings.8 6.

Alterations and additions: The majority of the alterations to the building have been the result of reconfigurations of office space as programs and offices have been reorganized. In addition, the mechanical, electrical, and alarm systems have been upgraded as necessary, along with federally-mandated alterations like improved accessibility to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. For example, in a handicap-accessible restroom was installed on the first floor.9 6 Wyatt C. Hedrick, Engineering & Administration Building, Basement Plan & Details, Drawing No. FE-A- 4201-A1, First Floor Plan, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A2, Second Floor Plan, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A3, Third & Fourth Floor Plans, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A4, Fifth & Sixth Floor Plans, Drawing No.

FE-A-4201- A5, and Penthouse & Roof Plans, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A6. 7 First Floor Plan, Drawing No. FE-A-4201-A2. 8 Wyatt C. Hedrick, Engineering & Administration Building, Room Finish and Color Schedule, Drawing Nos. FE-A-4201-A7 and FE-A-4201-A8. 9 AJT & Associates, Inc., Building Install Handicap Restroom-First Floor, June 18, Drawing Nos. FAC-AU-4201-A1 and A2. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No.

AL-999-B (Page 5) One of the earliest modifications involved the snack bar, which was turned into a temporary cafeteria to ease the overcrowding at the one in Building As described in a memo on the topic, the requirement of a temporary cafeteria facility is due primarily to the observation that the Central Laboratory and Office Building Cafeteria is already overloaded. Upon completion of the Project Engineering Building, the additional personnel load will result in a critical situation. However, by adding a temporary cafeteria which will be served from another kitchen, the problem can be alleviated until the new cafeteria becomes available. 10 McCall, Deputy Director of R&D Operations, complained I had the distinct displeasure to eat lunch this Saturday in the cafeteria.

That was the worst example of cafeteria management, food selection, preparation, etc., that I have seen since we used the Army cafeteria in He concluded that the organization should be improving, not running in backward. 11 In April the cafeteria equipment was removed and installed in Building meanwhile this cafeteria was downsized back into a snack bar.12 In the Saturn V Control Center was installed on the third floor. The control center was expected to give much needed program visibility to the Saturn V project.13 It contained large translucent panels for charts and flow diagrams that were often updated. In this control room, program reviews were undertaken, working and managers meetings were held, and the dry runs for the Management Council Meeting were staged.

During this same time period, the Saturn Control Center was built on the fourth floor.14 Other work has included modifying the fifth-floor conference room and upgrading its projection room equipment in as part of NASA AE Contract NAS8-31028.15 The third-floor conference room was remodeled around by AJT & Associates under NASA AE Contract No. NAS8-38330.16 In the procurement office director s suite on the first floor was modified, and rooms 600E, and were reconfigured. AJT & Associates won the 10 Memo from Wm E. Lilly, Director of Program Review & Resources Management, Office of Manned Space Flight to Director, Office of Programs, Project No.

Engineering and Administration Building, FY 63, C of F Programs, Marshall Space Flight Center, October 22, in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA- SE. 11 Memo from Harry H. Gorman, Deputy Director, Administrative to Mr. Sorenson, Chief, Management Services Office, Building June 15, quote from Memo from McCall, Deputy Director, R&D Operations to Mr. Sorenson, Cafeteria Service, October 26, in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE. 12 Facilities and Design Office, Building Rework Cafeteria Architectural Floor Plan and Details, April 20, Drawing Nos. F&D-B-4201-A1 and A2.

13 Notes, Rudolph, in Weekly Notes, available from History Office, 14 Handwritten note, re: Saturn V Control Room in Folder 1d, Central Lab-Engineering Building located in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE; Facilities and Design Office, Building Saturn Program Control Center Architectural Floor Plan & Sections, August 3, Drawing No. F&D-C-4201-A1. 15 Building Modifications to Rm 518 (Conf. Room), April 21, Drawing Nos. FAC-I-4201-A1 and A2. 16 AJT & Associates, Inc., Building Remodel Conference Room 319 and 319A, December 6, Drawing Nos. FAC-AC-4201-A1 through A3. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 6) contract for the work, completed under NASA AE Contract No.

NASA The east end of the sixth floor was altered in with the removal of walls, installation of sound-proofing, and reconfiguration of lighting. Room 201 was converted to a conference room during that same time. This work was completed by AJT & Associates as part of NASA AE Contract No. NASA In the third and fifth floor conference rooms were upgraded by the SEI Group as part of NASA Contract No. NNM05AB09C.19 B. Historical Context: Formally established on July 1, NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center was carved out of the Army s Redstone Arsenal. In addition to the land, the center inherited some buildings from the Army, but there was not enough office or workspace to adequately accommodate the center s operations (see HABS No. AL-999 for additional information).

NASA occupied portions of Army buildings and from and rented office space in Huntsville, a situation staff found highly unsatisfactory but acknowledged as the best possible solution available at this time. 20 The Analysis of Engineering and Administrative Space Requirements at Huntsville, Ala. produced in clearly stated the need for additional office space. At the time the Marshall Space Flight Center was established in July there was not sufficient laboratory, engineering and administrative office space available to house the total personnel required to support the Marshall Center Technical programs.

This deficit in space was caused by acceleration to the Saturn C-1 Program and the need to provide administrative and support personnel in those fields previously provided by elements of the Army Ordnance Missile Command. Additional space was required for approximately personnel to provide such support services as Personnel, Purchasing and Contracting, Facilities Engineering, Communications, Maintenance, and Transportation Services previously furnished by elements of the Army not transferred to NASA.

To meet those immediate needs facilities were provided on an interim basis by leasing space in a renovated cotton mill in downtown Huntsville, modifying warehouses into office areas, and using Army owned buildings until new buildings would be completed.21 17 AJT & Associates, Inc., Building Modify Procurement Office Director s Suite, April 24, Drawing Nos. FAC-AQ-4201-A1 and A2; AJT & Associates, Inc., Building Modifications to Rms 600 E, and June 2, Drawing No. FAC-AR-4201-A1 and A2. 18 AJT & Associates, Inc., Building Mods to 4201-East End, July 15, Drawing Nos. FAC-BH-4201- A1 and A2, and AJT & Associates, Inc., Building Convert Room 201 to Conference Room, July 14, Drawing Nos. FAC-BI-4201-A1 through A4. 19 SEI Group, Inc., Building Upgrade Conference Room April 23, Drawing Nos.

FAC-BN-4201- A1 through A3; SEI Group, Inc., Building Upgrade Conference Room June 14, Drawing Nos. FAC-BO-4201-A1 through A2. 20 George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, Fiscal Year available from History Office, 21 Analysis of Engineering and Administrative Space Requirements at Huntsville, Ala., April in Folder, Space Physical (Misc Report), in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No.

AL-999-B (Page 7) In July there were center employees (both civilian and contract), but by April that number had grown to Projections showed the number of staff growing to by July and by June To accommodate the anticipated growth in staff, officials proposed constructing new office buildings with flexible interior spaces to accommodate the greatest possible numbers of staff. The Engineering and Administration Building was submitted, justified and sold to NASA Headquarters and to the Bureau of Budget on the basis of need for an office building for project and management type personnel. This is the most difficult type of project to sell to Headquarters and the Bureau of Budget, but officials were successful.22 Initially, there were four proposed locations for the new building.

The first, and where it would eventually be constructed, was behind Building The second proposal was to build an extension to Building used by the Propulsion and Vehicle Engineering Laboratory (P&VE). The third site was between Building and Building the Computation Division Building. Finally, the fourth location was west of Building (See Appendix, Figure 1.) The second and fourth locations were proposed because they would allow consolidation and expansion of P&VE staff, but if the building was to be solely used by P&VE staff, a name change would be required and might cause NASA Headquarters to revoke the funding request. staff noted the danger of disapproval is even greater due to the fact that we already have one office building (System Management Engineering Building) in the program.

The third site was a viable option, but ultimately administrators decided that locating the new building near Building made programmatic sense since it would be used for project management and administration. Furthermore, the need for a cafeteria would be obviated since staff could use the one in Building In the long term, center officials decided this location would provide flexibility of utilization to meet most urgent requirements since, at this location, the building would not necessarily be assigned to any Division.

23 Bidding for the new six-story office building to be located from the Central Laboratory and Office (Building see HABS AL-999-A) and connected by a covered walkway opened in January Another building was planned to be located across from Building which would create an administrative complex.24 The contract encompassed not only building the structure, but also preparing and grading the site; installing the exterior utilities and drainage system; building the roads, parking areas, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks; and landscaping. 22 Quote from memo from Shepherd, Chief, Facilities Engineering Office to E.D.

Geissler, Subject: Request for Re-siting the Engineering and Administration Building, May 10, in Folder 1d, Facilities-Engineering & Administration Building, in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE; employee numbers from Analysis of Engineering and Administrative Space Requirements. 23 Siting of C of F Project, Engineering and Administration Building, in Folder 1d, Facilities- Engineering & Administration Building, in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE. 24 Sets Bid Opening for Six Story Structure, Marshall Star 3, no. 15 (January 19, 1. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No.

AL-999-B (Page 8) Site Development and Utility Installation Facility Construction and Modifications Equipment Instrumentation and Support Services [snack bar and furniture] Design & Engineering Services FY Advanced Design, Planning Funds Total Estimated Cost: Pearce & Gresham won the construction contract for Building which ended up costing over $2 million to build.26 The building s interior was planned to take maximum advantage of space. Relying on experience gained during the design and construction of Building staff developed a 4' module instead of a one. This change plus adjusting the building s width allowed for squarer offices.

The Facilities and Design office created a partition layout to provide areas which various types of engineering and management organizations could adapt to meet their needs. The telephone outlets and power outlets were located based on universal desk layouts developed by the Design Branch, Facilities and Design Office. 27 This kept individual offices from developing their own layouts for their spaces. The exception was the sixth floor, where the Director of Industrial Operations, project directors, and stage managers had their offices. Additionally changes to the design based on Building included altering both the air conditioning system to allow for cooling of future computer installations and the exhaust system to accommodate reproduction equipment.

The ratio of toilet facilities to building occupants was increased to take into account meetings and the resulting influx of people. Finally, the lighting configuration was standardized to minimize alterations if partitions needed to be moved.28 As construction of the building got underway, Harry Gorman, a Deputy Director, notified the staff of their space allocations. Industrial Operations, the branch that oversaw the Saturn Saturn 1B/Centaur, and Saturn V programs, as well as the Engine Program, Michoud Assembly Facility, Mission Operations Office, and the Mississippi Test Facility, was to occupy the vast majority of the building. Industrial Operations staff offices took up the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth floors plus one-half of the second floor.

The conference rooms on the third and first floors were for their exclusive use, although other groups could use them if they were not being occupied. Gorman requested that Industrial Operations complete a layout of their allocated space using NASA standards, which had been created to assure equity in treatment of personnel in comparable work, efficient use of the space in the new building and reasonableness in requirements for furniture, draperies and carpeting. Specified furniture was based on the rank of the employee, creating a clear visual distinction between staff and those in management. Furniture included wood desks for office chiefs and deputies, wood secretarial furniture for those 25 Marshall Space Flight Center, Fiscal Year Estimates, Engineering & Administration Building.

26 Real Property Record, April 3, 27 Memo from Dykes, Chief, Facilities and Design Office to Mr. Harry H. Gorman, Engineering and Administration Building, May 22, in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, in NARA-SE. 28 Memo from Dykes to Gorman, May 22, Invitation for Bids, Engineering and Administration Building. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 9) secretaries working for office chiefs and deputies, a GSA conference-type steel desk for staff at the level, and the GSA standard 5' desk for everyone else. The offices of the program director, office chiefs, and deputies would be outfitted with carpet and drapes.

In addition, the director s office would have special wall treatments.29 Despite having suffered from delays and increasing costs with last-minute partition changes in Building the same problems plagued the completion of Building Gorman denied a December request from Industrial Operations Director Young for an additional square feet of space, stating except for the principal staff to be located on the sixth floor of we would expect to apply the Center standards to the remainder of your staff for the purpose of authorizing floor space. We see no reason to provide preferential treatment beyond what has already been agreed upon.

30 At the same time, other officials expressed frustration with Industrial Operations managers who were viewed as holding up the layout on due to lack of decision on who goes where. This basically involves Mr. Youngs [sic] desire for office chiefs to be on top (sixth) floor. 31 Even though there were delays, the Marshall Star reported in early April that portions of Industrial Operations were set to move into the newly-completed building. By May 1, the building was occupied.32 With the completion of Building officials decided that any changes made there would be carried over to since they were planned to be identical, as long as it was economically feasible.

33 Eberhard Rees noted that he received occasional complaints about Building in May These included gripes about the shortcomings of the space configuration and the pace at which the elevators moved. He suggested feedback on the building s performance be collected and any necessary alterations be included in the plans for Building As with any move, there were difficulties in adjusting to the new space. One such problem arose in fall over a request by Industrial Operations to have carpeting installed in the reception and secretarial area outside the Program Managers offices. Edmund F. O Connor of Industrial Operations noted, there is a definite noise level emanating from personnel utilizing these areas 29 Memo from Harry Gorman, Deputy Director, Administrative, to Mr.

Young, Assignment-Physical Space, Building November 19, in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE. 30 Quote from memo from Harry H. Gorman, Deputy Director, Administration to Young, Director, Industrial Operations, Subject: Floor Space in Building December 30, Memo from Young, Director, Industrial Operations, to Harry Gorman, Subject: Floor Space in Building December 18, both in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE. 31 Handwritten note from Corbett to Gorman, December 3, in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE.

32 Industrial Operations Home caption, Marshall Star 4, no. 26 (March 25, 4. 33 Memo from Dykes to Gorman, Engineering and Administration Building, May 22, 34 Typewritten note from E. Rees to Mr. Gorman, Subject: Administrative Building Now Under Construction, May 8, in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, RG NARA-SE. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 10) as a thoroughfare. This noise level is most distracting to the Program Managers and is not conducive to top performance by the secretaries. The Program Managers, in fact, find it almost impossible to work in their offices with their doors open.

In addition, he believed that because the managers held meetings in their offices with upper-level government officials and contractors, that their spaces should be decorated in a manner to create the proper atmosphere for these individuals. After Associate Deputy Director David Newby inspected the area in question, he refused to approve the request because he did not find the space excessively noisy and because of concerns that the carpet would become worn. Davis E. Foxworthy, Chief of the Technical Services Office, also inspected the areas under question, but he too thought the noise was not excessive, since much of it was simply generated by typewriters in use.

Furthermore, the problem was larger in nature than simply carpeting since the secretaries were located in space converted from the main corridors. Foxworthy concluded, without considerable modifications and rearrangement of personnel, they will always have some noise and traffic problems. 35 Various offices have been housed in the building throughout the period of use. As of it contained program management offices in the basement through sixth floors, with management services on the fourth and sixth floors as well. The following year, after a reorganization of the center s purchasing and contracting operations, the Chief of the Procurement Office and some of the other personnel were re-located to Building PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1.

Architectural character: Building is a good example of mid-twentieth-century curtain- wall construction. Using alternating bands of porcelain enamel and glass with aluminum mullions, the building reflected NASA s role at the forefront of modern technology and space exploration. The building s exterior cladding remains intact, and although the partition walls in offices have been moved and other modifications have been made, the general floor plans and interior finishes remain. 2. Condition of fabric: Good 35 Memo from David H. Newby, Associate Deputy Director, Administrative, to Director, Industrial Operations, Subject: Request for Carpeting; Memo from Edmund F. O Connor, Director, Industrial Operations, to Mr. Newby, Subject: Request for Carpeting, September 16, Memo from Davis E.

Foxworthy, Chief, Technical Services Office, to Mr. Gorman, Subject: Request for Carpet, September 30, and Memo from Roy L. Chatham, Special Assistant, Technical Services Office, to Mr. Newby, Subject: Carpet for Secretaries, Industrial Operations, November 1, all in Folder 1d, Facilities, Engineering & Administration Building, and in Office of Director, Director s Files RG NARA-SE. 36 National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Utilization Program-Summary by Building and Organization, Building June 1, New Procurement Office Complete Reorganization, Marshall Star 13, no. 1 (September 13, 1. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 11) B. Description of Exterior: 1.

Overall dimensions: The building measures long x wide and stands tall (including the penthouse). 2. Foundations: The foundation walls and piers are concrete and steel. 3. Walls: The curtain walls consist of grey porcelain enamel panels and grey fixed glass with aluminum mullions. Pre-cast granite mosaic block panels are centered on the east and west facades. The penthouse is clad in metal siding. 4. Structural system, framing: The structural system is a steel frame. 5. Loading dock: A loading dock is at the southeast corner of the building, accessed by a driveway. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The building s main entrance is on the north fa ade and is comprised of sliding glass doors covered by a canopy.

A sliding glass door is also located on the east fa ade by the loading dock, while another door is at the west end of the building. b. Windows and shutters: All windows are fixed with panes of grey or clear glass. The pre-cast granite mosaic block panels on the west and east ends of the building are pierced by fixed ribbon windows at each floor to provide illumination to the stairwells contained inside. 7. Roof: The flat concrete and steel roof is covered with a membrane surface. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: The general floor plan has been little changed from the initial configuration, although partition walls have been moved as needed. A central service core on each floor contains elevator shafts, restrooms, and telephone/mechanical spaces.

The core is flanked by offices and conference rooms. Offices ring the perimeter to take advantage of the natural light from the windows. A corridor separates the offices from the central service core. The penthouse contains the elevator and mechanical equipment. 2. Stairways: Stairwells are centered on the east and west ends of the building. A stairwell on the sixth floor, east of the restrooms, provides access to the penthouse. 3. Flooring: Most of the building s reinforced concrete floors are covered in vinyl asphalt tile, although some offices have carpet and the restrooms have ceramic tiles. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 12) 4.

Wall and ceiling finish: Original finishes are still extant, including the vinyl wall coverings of the partitions. Ceilings are generally suspended, with acoustical tiles and fluorescent lights. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The doors are generally wood in metal door frames. b. Windows: The building s windows are all fixed. 6. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation: Building originally connected to a cooling tower hidden within the nearby cooling tower screen (see HABS No. AL-999-E). The air conditioning system was later modified and upgraded. The building is heated by the center s steam plant, connected by above-ground pipes. b.

Lighting: Fluorescent lighting is present throughout the building, including luminescent grids, which were inset fluorescent lights with a grid covering them. c. Plumbing: The plumbing systems for the restrooms and water fountains are contained in the central core. D. Site: 1. Historic landscape design: Located southeast of Building and across the courtyard from Building the as-built landscape plans by Wyatt C. Hedrick show scarlet oaks (Quercus coccinea) along the south and east perimeters. Yellow poplar (also called tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipfera) and junipers were planted to the north.

Smaller flowering trees were scattered across the grass to the north of the building, such as showy crabapples (Malus floribunda), pink flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida rubra), and red crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica William Toovey ). The landscape design by Wyatt C. Hedrick reflects the trends towards orthogonal design, extensive use of hardscaping, and minimal plantings that characterizes modern landscape design. Concrete walkways provided access to the other buildings in the administrative complex. Beds at the front of the building contained angular and flat rocks (specified as weighing between 50 to 500 pounds) with plantings of various types of sedum, bugleweed (also called Bronze ajuga, or Ajuga reptans Atropurpurea), and L-shaped planters held lily turf (Ophiopogon japonicus).

Cast-stone benches sat near the main entrance. Lines of glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum) screened either side of the loading dock at the building s southeast corner, while pink abelia (Abelia Edward Goucher ) lined a portion of the walk from the parking lot to the building as well as the covered walkway running parallel to Building The area between buildings MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 13) and contained groupings of angular and flat rocks with small flowering trees like the red flowering dogwood, showy crabapple, and Burford holly (Ilex cornuta Burfordi Many elements of this original landscape scheme have been removed or were perhaps never installed as planned.

The south fa ade of the building now features a line of cherry trees. The front entrance plantings have been removed, probably with the installation of the front canopy. The privet was removed from the loading dock area and replaced with trees. Additional trees have also been added to the courtyard between buildings and as well as to the planting bed to the east of the main entrance. 2. Outbuildings: A cooling tower screen that once sheltered the cooling tower servicing Building is located to the southwest. See HABS No. AL-999-E for additional information. PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A.

Architectural drawings: Engineering Design Services of Marshall Space Flight Center holds all of the as-built drawings, as well as drawings related to every modification, alteration, and addition to the building. Individual drawings used in this report are referenced in the footnotes. B. Early views: Historic photographs of the building are available from the Facilities Office and the History Office of Marshall Space Flight Center. The negatives are now housed at National Archives and Records Administration-Southeast Region (Atlanta). C. Section

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS AL-999-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Bird s View, caption. Marshall Star 4, no. 1 (September 25, 11. Industrial Operations Home, caption. Marshall Star 4, no. 26 (March 25, 4. Sets Bid Opening for Six Story Structure. Marshall Star 3, no. 15 (January 19, 1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Utilization Program Summary by Building and Organization. Building June 1, New Procurement Office Complete Reorganization. Marshall Star 13, no. 1 (September 13, 1. 37 Wyatt C. Hedrick, Engineering and Administration Building, Landscape Plan, Drawing No. FE-A-4201- C4. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 14) Public Information Office, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. Press Release.

January 16, Available from History Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama. Real Property Record. April 3, Various folders, Office of Director, Director s Files Box 29, Record Group In National Archives and Records Administration-Southeast Region (Atlanta). MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No. AL-999-B (Page 15) Appendix: Historic Images Engineering and Administration Building, final location Building Building Figure 1: Site plan amended to show proposed locations for building. Folder 1d, Facilities Physical Space Box 28, Record Group National Archives and Records Administration-Southeast Region (Atlanta). MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING HABS No.

AL-999-B (Page 16) Figure 2: Caption reads: Contract NAS E & A Building Site of & Parking Area from 1st Floor CLO-Jan 28, Available from History Office,