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KSC Headquarters Building

Coordinates: 28°31′27″N 80°39′4″W / 28.52417°N 80.65111°W / 28.52417; -80.65111
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kennedy Space Center Headquarters
The new KSC Headquarters Building as of April 2019
Map
Alternative namesCentral Campus Facility
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeOffice
LocationJohn F. Kennedy Space Center industrial complex
Coordinates28°31′27″N 80°39′4″W / 28.52417°N 80.65111°W / 28.52417; -80.65111
GroundbreakingOctober 10, 2014
CompletedApril 3, 2019
ManagementKennedy Space Center Operations Directorate
Height
Roof104 feet (32 m)
Top floor95 feet (29 m)
Technical details
Floor count8
Floor area200,017 square feet (18,582.2 m2)
Lifts/elevators6
Design and construction
Architect(s)Steve Belflower, Kirk Hazen (HuntonBrady Architects of Orlando)
Main contractorNASA
Website
Official website

The Kennedy Space Center Headquarters Building is an eight-story office building that houses the administrative offices of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Constructed in April 2019, and also known as the Central Campus Facility, it incorporates the offices of the space center director, management staff, personnel, procurement and several hundred contractor and support workers. The building also houses the KSC Library, travel office, film and photo archives, photo processing shops, the Engineering Document Center, print shop, mail room, credit union and KSC security offices.[1] The new eight story building houses 200,000 sq (18,580 sq m) of floor space, filled with modern offices (designed to resemble the original decor in the former building) and its other facilities integrated into one roof, and has air conditioning and energy-efficient adjustable LED lighting installed throughout.

Background

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As part of NASA's recent directives to expand and modernize the space center industrial complex to allow greater potential in the next space exploration programs, the Kennedy Space Center management office (including Robert D. Cabana) contracted Orlando-based architects and engineers to design and build a new headquarters building to replace the deteriorating original building adjacent to the site.

The center's Master Plan directive spans a 20-year horizon and details the land uses, business policies and infrastructure needed for the center to remain the prime launch site for the rising industry of government and commercial providers.[2]

Original Building

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Plaza view of the original building
Headquarters Building
Aerial view of the original KSC Headquarters looking south
KSC Headquarters Building is located in Florida
KSC Headquarters Building
KSC Headquarters Building is located in the United States
KSC Headquarters Building
LocationJohn F. Kennedy Space Center industrial complex
Nearest cityTitusville, Florida
Built1965
ArchitectCharles Luckman
Architectural styleInternational
MPSJohn F. Kennedy Space Center MPS
NRHP reference No.99001644[3]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJanuary 21, 2000
Removed from NRHPc. 2019

KSC headquarters used to reside in a former three-story six-winged concrete foam structure. It is located on 1 Street in the Industrial Area of KSC on Merritt Island, Florida, and was formally opened on May 26, 1965, and contained 439,446 square ft (40,824 square m) of floor space.[4]

The old building - which is over 50 years old, was vacated at the end of April 2019 (as employees moved into the new 8 story facility), and originally left partially occupied to allow the possibility of interior renovations. However sadly due to a combination of material decay, rising electrical power costs, unattended and empty areas, and the hazardous asbestos lining the entire walls, it was deemed too costly to renovate. This building is in the process of being demolished and has been abandoned by NASA as of January 2020.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Central Campus Headquarters Building" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Central Campus of the Kennedy Space Center" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  4. ^ HQ Building http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/facilities/hq.html Archived August 17, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
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