The aerospace plant in Downey was once one of the largest and most important aerospace plants in the nation. It was operated by a succession of companies, from Vultee to Convair North American to Rockwell to McDonnell Douglas, to Boeing, building bombers in World War II, and afterwards rockets, missiles, and satellites. The fastest plane ever built, the X-15, was built here, as were major parts of the Apollo program, and all five of the Space Shuttles, in conjunction with the company’s final assembly plant in Palmdale. With much of its operations already moved to other places, Boeing announced the closure of the Downey plant in 1999. Though some of the original Art Deco administration buildings remain along Lakewood Boulevard, most of the site has been turned into parking space and redeveloped into a shopping center called Downey Landing.