At the top, the doors are fastened by hollow forged pins 17 inches (43 cm) in diameter and six feet (1.8 m) long.

[5] The company commissioned Karl Arnstein of Akron, Ohio, whose design was inspired by the blueprints of the first aerodynamic-shaped airship hangar, built in 1913 in Dresden, Germany.

When World War II broke out, enclosed production areas were desperately needed, and the airdock was used for building airships.

The airdock served as the site of the 1986 kickoff rally for the United Way of Summit County, where more than 350,000 members of the public visited.

As of 2021[update] California company LTA Research and Exploration, together with the University of Akron, plans to use the airdock to develop electric-powered airships.