SkyCity

SkyCity (originally known as the Eye of the Needle)[1][2] was a revolving restaurant and bar situated atop the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, United States.[3][4]

For other uses, see Sky City (disambiguation).
SkyCity
SkyCity during a service in 2006
Restaurant information
Established1962
Closed2017 (2017)
Owner(s)Space Needle Corporation
Head chefJeff Maxfield
Food typeFine dining, Pacific Northwest cuisine, new American cuisine
Dress codeCasual
Street addressSpace Needle
400 Broad Street
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
ReservationsYes

Description and history

The restaurant featured a 14-foot-deep (4.3 m) carousel (or ring-shaped) dining floor on which sat patrons' tables, chairs, and dining booths. Its floor revolved on a track and wheel system weighing roughly 125 tons, moving at a rate of one revolution every 47 minutes. It was the oldest operating revolving restaurant in the world at the time of its closure.[5][6] Due to the balance and precision of its design, the floor's rotation is accomplished using just a single 1½-horsepower motor.[7]

The restaurant was designed by John Graham & Company and styled after the La Ronde they had built atop the Ala Moana Center in 1963.[8] SkyCity was a fine dining restaurant with a casual dress code and served Pacific Northwest cuisine and new American cuisine, providing local seafood, steak, chicken and vegetarian items among others.[5][9][10][11][12]

The restaurant was closed in September 2017 for the $100 million "The Century Project" renovation at the Space Needle, with plans for the dining area to be outfitted with a clear glass floor.[13] The glass floor would enable diners to view the city below them and also the mechanics that operate the revolving floor.[14] When completed, SkyCity was to have the world's first revolving restaurant with a glass floor.[13][15] It was replaced with the Loupe Lounge, a cocktail lounge that opened in the restaurant's former space on April 9, 2021.[16]

See also

References
  1. Shannon, R. (2008). Seattle's Historic Restaurants. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4396-4252-8. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  2. "Space Needle: Fun Facts". Archived from the original on 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2017-03-25.
  3. Fraioli, J. (2012). Seattle Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the Emerald City. Chef's Table. Lyons Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-7627-8706-7. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  4. Randl, C. (2008). Revolving Architecture: A History of Buildings That Rotate, Swivel, and Pivot. Princeton Architectural Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-56898-681-4. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  5. Gunderson, Nick (May 4, 2013). "Food, including that on the Space Needle, soars at Seattle Center". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  6. American Heritage of Invention & Technology. American Heritage. 2005. p. 55. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  7. "A Muse News: Sky City". Archived from the original on 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
  8. "360° View at the Top of Waikiki". The Tasty Island. November 6, 2009. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  9. Clement, Bethany Jean (August 9, 2017). "Sorrow at the Space Needle: Dinner at one of Seattle's most expensive restaurants". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  10. "SkyCity's Jeff Maxfield Talks Local Ingredients & Fatherhood". Seattle Magazine. September 25, 2015. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  11. Beckley, Barbara (2002). Hispanic Business. Hispanic Business Publications. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  12. "SkyCity at the Space Needle". The Stranger. March 1, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  13. Hallinan, Bridget (October 11, 2017). "Acrophobes, Beware: Seattle's Space Needle Is Getting a Glass Floor". Condé Nast Traveler. Archived from the original on November 23, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  14. "Space Needle plans glass floors and thrilling views with $100M renovation (Video and Images)". Puget Sound Business Journal. June 12, 2017. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  15. "Space Needle undergoing seismic upgrade starting Tuesday". KING 5. July 18, 2017. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  16. Guarente, Gabe (April 5, 2021). "The Space Needle's Loupe Lounge Set to Reopen on April 9". Eater Seattle. Vox Media. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2022.

47°37′14″N 122°20′57″W

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