Photos of Vintage Auto Dealerships, Repair Shops, and Gas Stations

Former Mack Truck dealership, 121 12th Street, Des Moines, IA.

Built 1924, 27,000 square feet, converted to residential lofts/apartments. $7 Mllion dollars spent on the renovation. Seems low given all the electrical, HVAC, and plumbing that had to be done.

Big windows/lotta light is cool. $900 to $2,100 per month rent, studios, one and two bedroom, 500 to 1,200 sq. ft. i like them, except I aint into the whole "Better Homes & Gardens" look personally. And no place for the "fleet" obviously.

Building, is brick, wood, and steel truss construction of the era (most were transitioning to reinforced concrete), stylish limestone trim, but essentially a "box" typical of urban showroom, service center, office building design or early auto industry.

Clearly a property size, and historical significance, that only a commercial reuse made economic sense to even try. See what its next 100 years if life brings

sources: Photos: Hubbell converts Mack Truck showroom into apartments, Hubbell converts former Mack Truck showroom into downtown lofts, https://www.station121dsm.com/, https://www.apartments.com/station-121-des-moines-ia/dw1d9ql/

1721649822236.png
1721649897795.png

1721649940740.png

1721649981124.png
1721650013952.png

1721650401098.png


1721650447019.png

1721650465287.png

1721650486413.png

1721650553474.png
 
amazinblue82 said:
Can't find this building, it is (was) somewhere in west-central Kansas (Garden City, roughly near Grant Ave. at Main Street per some sources).

Dealership belonged to the Walters brothers. They were a Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge dealer.

Raimon G. “Bud” Walters, Jr. died with over 400 cars, and they were all auctioned back in 2018. Some might have ended up belonging to members.

source: Auction of nearly 400 cars from man's estate expected to draw thousands

View attachment 673134

What did he have?

source: Sullivan Auctioneers, LLC Auction Catalog - Raimon G. “Bud” Walters, Jr. Estate Auction Online Auctions | Proxibid

Examples:

View attachment 673135
View attachment 673136
Click to expand...

Just a repost to capture local newspaper article with caption under the picture.

Screenshot_20240724-193024~2.png

Raimon G. "Bud" Walters Jr. poses in front of his car dealership with his crew. A sale of his estate will be on Sept 17 and 18 near Garden City and Deerfield. [courtesy] The Hutchinson News

*******
Screenshot_20240724-193024~3.png

Source:
Auction of nearly 400 cars from man's estate expected to draw thousands
 
Millstone, New Jersey

Call to the customer "Sir, we found the problem. Your car seems to be flooded".

1722268852154.png
 
circa 1970, former Townsend Pontiac, 6300 Broadway, Merriville IN. Be damned if it isn't still there .. guess far enough outta Gary and surrounds stayed relatively undeveloped.

Built somewhere in the 1960's, probably been many things of 50+ years, and still an auto-related business today. Too much for a hobby house, though I still keep looking.

1722274435655.png

1722274493886.png

1722274551320.png

1722274700859.png
 
Another commercial reuse of an early urban "big box" brick/reinforced concrete retail car dealership. Pricey condos.

These always get my attention for some reason .. I know why. Generally spacious, couldnt be duplicated for 10x the money, two stories, etc. OTOH, bad (e.g. hard to get residential zoning unless you through $$$ milliions at it), heavy environment remediation (usually a private investment showstopper), no/bad HVAC/sprinkler systems, "rough" neighborhoods, etc.

Here the former Brownell Pontiac, 2201 Sixth Ave., Birminham AL. At some point, converted to residential housing.

circa 1965
1722275448419.png



Circa mid 1990's
1722275525683.png


1722275626255.png

1722275686053.png

1722276044318.png

1722276138002.png

1722276190204.png
 
Last edited:
Parkersburg WV, 1959

I haven't figured out what the guys with the little lanterns and the coal bucket is all about. I think they are railroad men, but it is West Virginia and coal mining is big there.

1722286061961.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top