Vote May Speed Razing of Blimp Hangar

The state Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a measure that could hasten the demolition of one of Tustin’s towering blimp hangars.

The Senate voted 38 to 0 to give the city of Tustin, which is eyeing the possible demolition of the south hangar, responsibility for conducting a historic review before the structure could come down.

Officials at the state Office of Historic Preservation would normally perform that duty, but Tustin officials have sought to assume control of the process.

The bill by state Senate GOP Leader Ross Johnson (R-Irvine) now goes to Gov. Pete Wilson. Wilson has not indicated whether he would veto the measure, but officials in the governor’s Finance Department as well as his office of planning and research were opposed to Johnson’s bill.

Foes have expressed concern that Tustin, which has tentative plans for a commercial and industrial park on land now occupied by the south blimp hangar, lacks the objectivity needed to fully assess whether the sprawling structure should be preserved.

The two hangars, which date from 1943 and are on the National Register of Historic Places, are set to be handed over to Tustin and Orange County before next July.

Orange County plans to preserve the north hangar as a unique county park and make it available for commercial use.

Tustin officials, however, are concerned that the high costs of repairing and maintaining the south hangar would be too great to justify using it for commercial purpose.

State preservation officials contend the city is giving up too easily, and would like to see it hold off any plans to raze the south structure until all possible commercial uses are explored.

The twin hangars, 183 feet tall and as long as three football fields, are the largest free-standing wood structures ever built.