MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (CBS) - After years of trying to be polite about saving Hangar One at Moffett Field, the city of Mountain View may sue the United States Navy.
The Navy is now collecting bids from contractors and is on track to de-skin the hangar and remove its toxic shell of lead, asbestos and PCBs. The problem: there is no plan to re-skin the hangar. City officials have told the Navy it does not want the metal frame to sit naked and exposed to the elements, but no response so far.
"We have to hear back from them. And we've been told they're working on a response," said Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga. "I think the timeliness of the response, how quickly we get that and what that response says, will definitely tell us where we stand."
KCBS' Matt Bigler reports
Lenny Siegel, with the Save Hangar One committee said he understands the Navy is under budget pressure to remove the toxic siding. But he believes a lawsuit will buy time to make sure it's restored to its former glory.
"If we can act know to get the Navy from taking these steps, and get them to slow down a little bit, then we think it's possible to have a negotiation," Siegel said.
Hangar One was built in 1932 to house giant airships and is one of the largest freestanding buildings in the world. Over the years it has become an iconic part of the Bay Area.
Mayor Abe-Koga said suing the Navy is a last resort, something they just might need to do to save a piece of history.
Calls made to the Navy by CBS 5 have not been returned as of Thursday night.
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