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Space Needle renovation project gets underway

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space needle before and after observation deck

The Space Needle in Seattle, Washington has commenced renovation work as part of the Century Project – to work on preservation of the 55-year-old landmark.

The Century Project will expand and improve the Space Needle’s iconic views and guest experience.

Work will begin with the demolition and removal of materials from the restaurant level. Crews will work on the construction and raising of an elevated lift platform. This elevated lift platform will, unusually, be put into place 500 feet in the air using 12 independent cables and motors.

Guests will get better views from renovated needles: with an additional 176 tons of glass being added to the Observation Deck and restaurant level. Views will be expanded by more than 25%.

“This project is truly unmatched in its complexity,” said Ron Sevart, president and CEO, Space Needle LLC. “We’ve asked a lot of our more than 200 partners to get us to this point. It’s humbling every day to see the creativity everyone has brought to the table. It’s that extra effort that will allow us to keep the Observation Deck open during this process, and to let our visiting guests get a firsthand view of the renovation.”

“This is a historic time for the Space Needle and city of Seattle,” said Karen Olson, CMO. “When the Space Needle was first constructed the community was involved and engaged throughout the process, and we’ve approached this project the same way. We’ve worked hard to create an approach that allows us to remain open during construction, offering guests the unprecedented experience of seeing the renovation of an icon.”

The Space Needle have created a website to document the construction works.

The needle was built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The Century Project will aim to reveal the historic tower’s internal structure.

Image courtesy of The Space Needle.

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Michael Mander

Michael Mander

I am a journalist from Essex, England. I enjoy travelling, and love exploring attractions around the world. I graduated from Lancaster University in 2018. Twitter @michael_mander.

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