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Administration Building

The Administration Building at NASA’s Glenn Research Center was the base for center leadership for over 80 years and was the center’s primary meeting area and the main stop for visitors for many years.

Aerial view of the Administration Building at Glenn Research Center

Overview

The former Administration Building (Building 3) at NASA’s Glenn Research Center location just inside the main gate made it a enduring symbol of the center both for the thousands of employees driving past it each day and the steady flow of those visiting the center. The Administration Building, completed in 1942, was among the original buildings constructed at the center, which was then the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory (AERL) for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).

The Administration Building’s primary function was accommodating center leadership, including the director, deputy and associate directors. Over the years, it also provided space for the fiscal, personnel, public affairs, and other functions, as well as the mail room, switchboard operations, and the center’s library.

The Administration Building is a contributing structure to Lewis Field Historic District, which is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Place. In 2023, center leadership relocated to the new Research Support Building. The Administration Building is scheduled for demolition in late 2025 as part of Glenn’s Facilities Master Plan.

Documents

History

Aerial view NACA campus.

Design and Construction

The Administration Building was one of the main components of NASA Glenn Research Center’s original campus. Construction proceeded rapidly, and it became operational in December 1942.

Man speaking to auditorium from podium.

The NACA Era

During the 1940s and 1950s, the Administration Building was the base for all research and administrative decisions, and the home for nearly all assemblies, events, and visitors.

Glass doors and lobby.

Expansion for Space

In the 1960s and early 1970s the Administration Building underwent a number of modifications to support the center’s work as part of the new NASA space agency.

Office with desk and bookcase.

Middle Years

Between the mid-1970s and 2000s, Administration Building housed a growing number of center directors and research managers. The building was modified to accommodate new technologies and accessibility.

Historical marker with building behind.

Final Years

NASA Glenn's transformation of its campus in the 2000s led to several new buildings and the decision to remove several historic facilities, including the Administration Building.

Facility

Front of office building .

Building Exterior

The Administration Building at Glenn Research Center was a two-story U-shaped building that retained much of its original design elements.

Woman at reception desk in lobby.

First Floor

The first floor of NASA Glenn's former Administration Building included the Center Director’s suite, a large lobby, a two-story auditorium, conference rooms, and offices for center leadership.

Empty conference room.

Second Floor

The layout, offices, and conference rooms on the upper level of NASA Glenn’s former Administration Building is described.

View down long basement hallway.

Basement

The basement of the former Administration Building included offices, the telephone switchboard, and rooms housing the building’s service systems.

Administration Building Image Gallery

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Glenn History and Mitigation

Exterior view of wind tunnel at night.

Glenn Historic Facilities

This collection of webpages documents some of the historic facilities formerly located at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

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Historic marker with hangar in background.

Glenn Historic Preservation

NASA Glenn has worked with the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office to mitigate the loss of some of its historic facilities.

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Collage of historical documents.

Glenn History Office

The NASA Glenn History Office documents the research, facilities, and people who have contributed to the center’s extensive history and manages the Glenn History Collection.

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