Note from Randy: The following is a guest post from photographer, writer and teacher Wendy Erickson on the largely unknown “Building One” at New Jersey’s Newark International Airport. The building is the work of architect John S. Homlish and currently serves as offices for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The lobby area is open to the public, however taking photos is discouraged so I’m glad we have the pictures in this article. To see more of Wendy’s many photographic projects, visit her website, Wazobird Studio.
In 2003, I got to experience the 1930’s and the heyday of Air travel with a visit to Building One at Newark Airport, in Newark, New Jersey. This fully restored Art Deco gem is hidden within the confines of Newark Airport. Originally built 1934-35, it has been listed as a series of historic “firsts” listed by Medhat Okelly and Richard Southwick as:
- •World’s first modern airport terminal
- •Housed the first airport restaurant
- •Housed the first air traffic control tower
- •The first weather bureau
- •The first night flights using steel tracks on the roof which supported guide lights
It served as the prototype example for future airport buildings built in the United States. Amelia Earhart was present at the dedication ceremonies.
In 2000, the two-story building was moved 3700 feet from its original location to its present resting place. The building was “in the way” but its status as a National Historic Landmark gave it protection. According to an article in Passenger Terminal World, December 2002, the building was “the largest and heaviest structure ever moved on rubber tired dollies.”
Today it houses offices of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the police administration offices. Only part of the building is open to the public, and those are the areas I refer to.
Impressions
The current front entrance of the building was originally facing the runway. The original entrance that passengers would have departed from now faces the enclosed courtyard, flanked by new construction. The original building was built in the shape of an airplane, with a straight section in the middle and two “wing like” areas on either side, which go out at approximately a 45-degree angle.
Starting with the new outward facing façade of the building, you will notice smooth reinforced concrete. Called “cast in place” concrete, it was different than most of the buildings built in Newark at the time. You’ll notice horizontal bands, broken up by orange colored spandrels, made of red bricks.
Windows and doors are of steel and glass, creating the look of transparency. The designs above the doors on the front and back of the building are Art Deco patterns in cast aluminum.
The building is clean, well maintained, inviting. It appears massive as it is approached from the front entrance, possibly because of the brilliant white color of the outside and the strong vertical lines.
Enter the new main entrance (originally the ‘landside’ entrance) through a large revolving door with Art Deco embellishments, and you will be notice brilliant polished marble, gleaming and colorful terrazzo floors with 1930’s airplane motifs in the Art Deco style. The ceiling appears low in contrast to the entrance of the building. Light reflects onto the floors from every window. It is a bright space.
Six Tennessee marble columns are spaced evenly on each side of the main floor. Their motifs appear to be stylized feathers. I feel the plastic baseboard covering distracts from the design; however, it is likely a re-creation of the original. Lighting is from the ceiling, from spotlights and round deco ceiling lights. A decorative pattern in ornamental plaster extends from the front door to the back door on the ceiling of the main floor. This main section of the building’s ground floor measures 217 feet in length x 64 feet in width.
The “back door” of the building was originally called the ‘airside’ entrance, which faced the airfield. It is meticulously restored, and is classic deco architecture – simple, clean lines, modern. The use of concrete and glass give it an airy feeling. Strong horizontal lines are emphasized. The words “Administration Building” are lettered in aluminum in a deco typeface. The bird motifs above the door are stunning. From the courtyard you can see the bank of 6 windows in the boardroom on the second floor, and the original aircraft control tower on the top. The concrete steps show signs of rusting from the metal strips on the tops of each step.
Two sets of stairs lead from the main floor to the second floor. The stairs are on either side of the main entrance. They are simple in design, with dark gray cement steps and polished aluminum handrails.
Once on the second floor, you enter from either stairway, an upper “lobby” area, which has grey and tan terrazzo floors, again with an Art Deco motif, this time with a stylized airplane propeller.
This upper lobby is currently used as part of a History display, and contains a replica of one of Arshile Gorsky’s airport murals, painted in 1933 under a WPA grant. The originals are in the Newark Museum. The murals were titled “Aviation: Evolution of Forms under Aerodynamic Limitations.” They are brightly colored and use amorphous patterns.
Across from the lobby is a large boardroom. The bowed windows of this room mimic the windows in the original control tower, which is reached by going up the narrow spiral staircase, directly above.
The original control tower has been fully restored, although it does not contain any instruments. Constructed of glass and steel. It measures approximately 8’ x 16.’
The final stop is a restored hotel room. Kept locked by the staff, the door is painted a dull brown color; the room is a pale blue-green color. A simple bed, pillow, coat rack and a lone pair of binoculars adorn the room. The bathroom is pink and black tile, too small a room to photograph. The walls curve at the top, mimicking the columns on the first floor. Hanging on the wall is a calendar from the year 1933, a year before the building was constructed.
As you exit the building on the first floor, there is a large showcase with ephemera and memorabilia from the history of flight. The photographs and objects are wonderful and give a real feeling of what aviation was like during the glory days of flight.
All present day photographs © Wendy Erickson
Summary of Building History
Style: Art Deco
Original Name: Building 51
Current Name: Building 1
Original owner: City of Newark, NJ
Year built: 1934-1935; dedicated May 15, 1935
Architect: Unknown, part of a CWA (Civil Works Administration) Project and the City of Newark
National register of Historic Places: 1979
Year Moved to new site: 2000; Restoration completed 2002
Original cost: $700,000
Restoration cost: $6 million
New Addition: 68,000ft
Restoration Architects: Beyer, Blinder and Belle, NY, NY
Contractor: Prismatic Development Corp, Fairfield, NJ
Current Owner: Port Authority of NY and NJ
References
CNN.com. “Historic Newark Airport Building makes its move.” October 30, 2000. http:www.cnn.com/2000/travel/news/10/30/airport.building.ap/ . September 26, 2003.
“The History of Building 1, 1935-2001.” Undated publication from Newark Airport, Building 1, received October 2003.
“Historic American Engineering record, Newark International Airport.” HAER No. NJ-133-B
McConnell, Lorraine. Press release, undated, “The Newark Museum Marks state’s contributions to flight history with Exhibition, family programs”.
Okelly, Medhat , Richard Southwick. “Second Site.” Passenger Terminal World. December, 2002.
“Section 106 Review.” http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/2protection/section106.htm. September 26, 2003.
Sfoza, David. “Newark Airport at 75: The Sky’s the limit.” The Record Newspaper, September 28, 2003.
The architect of the Airport Administration building was John S. Homlish, Architect. He was my husband’s grandfather. We have the original renderings, signed by him, and the original newspaper cuttings when it was opened.
Please give the architect credit. We will be happy to share copies of the articles and renderings, if they will be credited to John S. Homlish.
Thank you,
Juliee Beyt, AIA
Juliee – Thanks so much for this information. I’ve updated the post. I’d love to see any materials you have about the building and if it is ok with you, share them with a wider audience.
I was intimately involved in the saving of Building One beginning in 1978 when I wrote and published 5000 copies of a coffee table book full of pictures i researched and discovered of the heyday 1930s of the place, that also pleaded with the Port Authority not o knock it down as junk.
It was a tough go but we gained traction to stop Building One’s destruction .
In 1980 I saved the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia and its epoch James Brooks Mural “Flight” .
The effort was recognized by FAA & Federal Arts Commission in a Washington D.C. ceremony where I received FAA & FACs highest award “For Outstanding Contribution to Aviation & Historic Preservation by US Sec. of Transportation (Reagan years) Elizabeth H. Dole.
I loved reading your piece on Newark although some of the facts are missing or could stand some enlightenment which am ready ,willing and able to provide.
First try and find “Great Airports Newark” 1928-1978 , a “Life Magazine” sized book by me, a total primitive in your circles, but someone who loved Building One at it’s nadir, and actually opened an office there and campaigned vigorously to have the place saved My details as follows:
Geoffrey, thanks so much for your comments. I’ll hunt down your book, and in the meantime please feel free to add additional information and/or corrections. I’ll contact you directly by email.
OK to publish my address
geoffrey@aircargonwes.com
sorry my address is geoffrey@aircargonews.com
Hello,
In April 2021, we will be holding a People Express Airlines reunion. We operated for years out of the North Terminal, and many attending the reunion have expressed interest in visiting Building One.
I have read that parts are open to the public. I was wondering if you know whom I can contact, to inquire if group tours might be a possibility for our group.
Thank you so much,
Kathleen Boucher
Hi Kathleen – I responded directly. As I mentioned, about the only information I can offer is that Building One is, or was, managed by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, so that would be the place too start. Hope the reunion is a big success!
Does anyone know of any records of how Building 51 was used as an entertainment venue?
It is stated in Wikipedia that Sarah Vaughn performed there in her mid-teens which makes it 1937-41.
I would be very interested in making homage to Building 51 with any information I can glean, next time I am in EWR.
Thanks to anyone who may reply to this.
Hi Tony – I’m not familiar with Building 51, but if you’re referring to Building 1 at Newark Airport, a portion of the upper floor has been made into a museum. I remember seeing documentation on Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart but I don’t recall any mention of the building being used as an entertainment venue. You could try contacting the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to see who runs the buiding’s museum but I’d try the NJ Historical Society, first: https://jerseyhistory.org
Seems That We Have Heard That Song Before
We worked to save the classic Building One at Newark Airport that opened in 1934.
That began in 1975, as we got the ball rolling with a big picture book titled, “Great Airports Newark” published and distributed worldwide in 1978.
We worked at the airport in the cargo area and realized that
despite being overlooked and misused, Building One, once the soaring epitome of airport architecture and art at Newark, ‘The World’s Busiest Airport from 1934 until 1939,’ in 1975 remained imposing, glorious and inspirational.
When we first saw her, she was being used as a U.S. Postal Services
Sorting Facility and a United Airlines flight kitchen.
During his tenure in the 80’s, Robert Aaronson, Aviation Director-The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey in a walk-through of the building immediately stopped any further destruction, allowing for the eventual restoration of the building.
Unfortunately the USD$90 million dollar restoration of Building One completed almost a generation ago, is inaccurate and incomplete despite the building being spectacularly picked up and moved from the end of an active runway to near the cargo area.
A lyrical sculpture of birds over water executed in metal above the passenger doorway to and from the airplanes has been lost as compared to the original created in 1934, pictured in photos from 1978 and today in 2022.
The playful birds have no place to land.
Who decided to replace a 1930s work of art with the playful birds minus their lyrical landing spots on the water?
Like changing the smile on The Mona Lisa!
Building One once housed pioneer abstract expressionist artist Arshile Gorky’s uplifting ten panel masterpiece titled,
“Aviation Under Aerodynamic Limitations” from the 1930s in a place of pride up the stairs and on the second floor.
Eight of the ten panels were lost to thoughtless renovations under the aegis of The Port Authority.
The remaining two panels were rescued in 1971, when Stephen Stempler of the Coordinated Design Department of The Port Authority on an inspection tour noticed some canvas threads poking through a screw hole on the staircase walls of Building One.
Today those two Gorky panels are hanging in the Newark Museum.
Why are the Gorky Murals not yet reproduced and installed in Building One?
The Port Authority should right a wrong and return a reproduction of all ten panels to the interior of Building One where they belong.
I was thinking about all of this the other day when we learned that Amazon thumbed its nose at a deal to take over most of the on-airport cargo operation at EWR after The Port Authority in 2021 had preemptively kicked out the tenants from most of the cargo terminal to do that deal.
Seems that we have heard that song before.
Bottom row photos: ©Wendy Erickson
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Thank you for your comment. I confess, I’ve never been inside Building One. When I enquired about taking some photos, initally I was told yes, but then no, becasue (to summarize) the building has now been “monetized”. This is actually a farily common thing with Art Deco interiors, unfortunately. Hopefully, the revenue is put to good use.