A man-shed with wings.

How it started

When Mark Lee retired in 2015, he opened his five-bay detached workshop to a group of elderly men from Leeside Manor. He wanted a place where they could build, create, and enjoy the camaraderie of a true man cave.

He noticed a unique dynamic — women often connect through face-to-face conversation; men tend to bond shoulder to shoulder, working on something meaningful together. One of the first projects was a silver light aircraft, the RV-12. The name wrote itself: Silver Eagle Project.

What we do today

We're redefining senior care for men and veterans. Rather than traditional senior-center activities, we run a hands-on, engaging environment that fosters purpose and connection. Members explore woodworking, metalworking, crafting, and full aircraft builds — activities that resonate especially with our many retired Boeing employees and veterans.

Through these projects our members stay mentally and socially active, create lasting friendships, and walk away with a real sense of accomplishment — and sometimes a real airplane.

Classic cars, too

Airplanes aren't the only thing rolling out of the shop. Restoring classic cars is a big part of the Silver Eagle Project. Whether it's a barn-find pickup or a weekend-cruiser muscle car, the same crew of retired engineers, veterans, and gearheads brings them back to life — one panel, one carburetor, one weld at a time.

Workshop hours

Monday – Thursday, 10 AM – 3 PM. Stop in, take a tour, or pick up a rivet gun. We'll find you something to do.