Decommissioned 747 fuselage destined for downtown Seattle development
Crafty people have turned out-of-service 747 airplanes into homes, hotels, hostels, cafes and museum exhibits.
Now Vancouver-based real estate developer Westbank Corp. is in the process of turning the fuselage and other salvaged parts of a decommissioned 747-400 (tail number N178UA) into the impossible-to-miss centerpiece of a mixed-used development in downtown Seattle.
Westbank’s 1.2 million square WB1200 project will include two residential towers with more than one thousand units, a three-level shopping area, workspace, a Live National Filmore Music Venue, a Trader Joe’s grocery store and a restaurant concept.
To draw attention and pay homage to the Seattle-founded Boeing Company, the project architects plan to have the aluminum fuselage of a Boeing 747 suspended between the two residential towers. Westbank says the rear assembly, landing gear and the nose of the plane will remain intact and the airplane’s wings will get shortened to fit the space.
Plans call for the interior of the plane to serve as Westbank’s Seattle office, and as a public exhibit space for special occasions, with the tail section forming the entrance to the Live Nation music venue.
The idea to include the airplane into the mixed-use project comes from Japanese architects OSO. Montalba Architects is designing the plane’s interior office space. And the project’s overall design is by Henriquez Partners Architects.
“What we are hoping to convey with our WB1200 project is the story of Seattle’s industry, innovation and evolution,” Westbank said in a statement. “Seattle-founded Boeing has been a world leader in aviation for generations. Today, we are all standing on the shoulders of previous pioneers. At WB1200, we are looking to both recognize that legacy and at the same time, point to the future of Seattle.”
Westbank initially shared a rendering of the project last year. The 250-foot-long airplane is currently being dismantled in the airplane graveyard in Victorville, CA and is scheduled to be trucked to Seattle, put back together, and installed sometime in the summer of 2022. Although, like everything else these days, the pandemic could stretch out the schedule.
Related: Boeing ending production of 747
The Boeing 747, which came to be known as the “Queen of the Skies” and ushered in the age of the wide-body passenger jet, is no longer being produced.
However, the 747 “gave the golden age of air travel a boost just as the 1960s ended,” says Mathew Burchette, senior curator of Seattle’s Museum of Flight. “Its huge passenger capacity helped lower ticket prices, making air travel accessible for middle-class travelers. It was the height of luxury. And even today, the 747 remains a symbol of glamorous air travel.”
Burchette is fine with a 747 fuselage being part of a downtown Seattle office/residential project.
“I like that the aircraft is being used as part of an architectural design,” said Burchette, “It shows how creative the architect is, and I like that an aircraft that was so instrumental in aviation history is getting a new home back in the place of its birth.”
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.