Space Needle Clarification From FNJ & Spencer Jack With Photo Documentation

A day or two or three ago I blogged that Madame McNutty Needles My Homesick Space Again. 

In that blogging I made mention of the fact that I was unclear regarding the status of the renovated Seattle Space Needle. With me a bit confused about observation decks and glass floors. And what revolves and what does not revolve.

Regarding my confusions I said I would likely be hearing from my relative expert on things like the Seattle Space Needle, Monorail and Ferry Boats. This morning my relative expert, my Favorite Nephew Jason, alleviated me of some of my Needle confusions via an email with a subject line of Needle Clarification, with three photos and clarifying text.

The email from Jason in its entirety, followed by two of the three photos. The first one is the one you see above. 

FUD -- 

SJ and I visited the Needle early last year to walk (or sit on) the new glass floor.

The top of the Needle has two floors. The top floor includes the outside promenade that is familiar.  The only changes to that over the years has been the all inclusive fencing to prevent someone from jumping. The fencing is hardly noticeable and does not block any views.

The lower level of the Needle formerly housed a restaurant.  It was removed and replaced with an inside observation room.  This room hosts the glass floor which is really unnerving to walk on.  Only small parts of this level have the glass floor.  The very outer perimeter of this level does still make an hourly rotational loop.  

And I do think there was a very small cocktail lounge located in there.  SJ and I didn't partake that day, as this visit was in March, and SJ chose to give up hard liquor as a part of his Lent repentance. 

If you'd just come up and visit, it would be much easier to whisk you around to all these fun sights, rather than explaining the changes that have taken place over the last 20 years since your exodus.

Anyway, I have to get Spencer's breakfast ready. Today is his first day of high school. He is attending Lincoln Elementary School this year, right down the street from our town home.

FNJ    

________________

Til Jason informed me of such I did not know the revolving restaurant in the Space Needle was no more. Years ago a second restaurant was added part way up the Needle. The restaurant at the top was notorious for its high prices and spectacular views.

Apparently Mount Vernon High School has too many students so they have taken over one of the oldest buildings in town for the incoming freshman class.

I began my school years in Mount Vernon, attending kindergarten at Roosevelt Grade School. By the time I was in 1st grade we had moved north, to Burlington, where I then attended the Burlington grade school named after a Roosevelt. I think the Mount Vernon one was named after Franklin whilst the Burlington one was named after Teddy. I may have that backwards.
 
Below are the two aforementioned photos... 

I can see the arches of the Pacific Science Center behind Spencer Jack's left shoulder. Which indicates the view behind the boys is slightly to the southwest. That body of water is Elliott Bay. The land on the far side of the bay is West Seattle, where you will find Seattle's version of the Statue of Liberty. 

Here we see Spencer Jack sitting on the Space Needle's glass floor. I don't know if this is one of the revolving locations. 

I really don't get the attraction of glass floors like this. Or those glass pedestrian bridges China seems to have become fond of. Or that glass walkway which cantilevers out over the Grand Canyon.

I have only experienced a location with a glass floor once. And that also was in Seattle. At REI's corporate headquarters, which is not far, maybe a mile, east of the Space Needle. REI's is just a small section of glass floor. Walking over it is not too unnerving, because all you see looking down is the floor below you.

I have a tentative date next summer with Madame McNutty to get loopy at the Space Needle's Loupe Lounge, which, thanks to Jason, we have now learned is located where the restaurant used to be...