Original Name: Administration
Date of Construction: 1950-51
Architect: H. L. Gogerty
Total Building Area: 37,059 SF
Original Use: Offices
History/Significance: Building 1 was the corporate headquarters for the Hughes Aircraft Company for 35 years. Howard Hughes and his top-level executives had their offices on the second floor, and decisions that impacted the national defense and the direction of technological advancement were made there. The building functioned as a reception center for senior military officers and other visiting dignitaries, in addition to initially housing Customer Relations, the Legal Department, and Planning on the second floor, and Purchasing and Industrial Relations on the ground floor. Its modern design originally included a well-appointed lobby with a large oil painting of Howard Hughes next to his H-1 Racer, the plane in which he set the 1935 air speed record.
Rehabilitation: The fully rehabilitated Building 1 features an original lobby desk; modern, open office space; and restored, original executive offices, including Howard Hughes’ own. It also features a Pan-Am route map in its lobby, which was found on the property during construction. To commemorate the historic district’s past, the parking lot in front of Building 1 has been marked with the names of Hughes Aircraft planes in the style of historic runway markings. For more images of Building 1, click the arrows at left.