BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
-FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 WASHINGION STREET, BOSTQN, MA AREA FORM NO. 4/17-1 02108 Town BROOKLINE MRA Address 808 Commonwealth Ave. Historic Name Peter Fuller Building PHOTO: (3x3" or 3x5", black & white) staple to left side of form Photo number Use: Present owned by Boston University Original Cadillac showroom, sales & repair DESCRIPTION: Oct. 25, 1927 Date Source Building Permit #147 Style 20th C. "Classical" Architect Albert Kahn (Detroit) Exterior wall fabric Indiana buff 1ime- ston, granite & artificial stone Outbuildings no SKETCH MAP Show property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection. Indicate north.
***1946-restote to original condition after Army occupation 1948-replace west end floding garage doors with electric overhead doors 1960-install 1st floor interior ramp; install wood exterior door with transom 1965-remove steel sash windows & replace with Anderson casements Boston South Quadrangle UIM References: 19/326600/4690600 Map #11 Recorded by Greer Hardvicke BHC Organization 5/85 Date Major alterations (with dates) *** Moved Date Approx. acreage less than one acre on the corner of a wide inter- sctton overtooking tie 5.0.orsgge a the Mass. Turnpike & Comm. Ave and abutting the residential area of Cottage Farm.
Boston South Quadrangle UIM Reference: 19/326600/4690600 (Staple additional sMeets nere) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the conmmity.) 808 Commonwealth Avenue is a 5 story Indiana limestone structure with large showrøom windows on the lst and 2nd floors across the front and on 2 bays on the northeast facade. Monumental fluted pilasters begin at the 2nd floor and divide the upper windows. The series of 3 windows in between the pilasters are divided into 25 panes. There are stylized - rosettes in the cornice capping the pilasters. A band of granite, about 3 feet high, begins at ground level and wraps atound the building. The entrance is between 2 fluted pilasters and topped by a large entablature. A decorated screen grill and anthemion band sit above the door.
The anthemion band is echoed in the large plate glass windows on the Ist floor. An oval carved medallion sits above the entablature. 808 Commonwealth Ave. is HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the commmity.) longtime home of the Peter Fuller Cadillac Dealerhip, 808 Conmonwealth Awas butlt by the Cadillac Auto. Company in 1927 to serve the- growing demana tor the automobile. The Cadillac building stood at the gateway of "Automobile Row" of Commonwealth Avenue which was the Boston metropolitan area's center for car sales and service during the 1920's through the 1960's. se necropottean erers renear 808 Commonwealth Avenue was designed in 1927 by Albert Kahn, one of the most influential and prolific industrial designers of the early-mid 20th century.
Before his death in 1942, Kahn's firm was responsible for about 19% of all industrial buildings in the U.S. He born in Germany in 1869 and moved to Detroit with his parents .in 1880. After apprenticing with Mason & Rice (Detroit), he established a practice with Nettleton & Trowbrudge. In 1902, Kahn formed his own firm in Detroit. He was later joined by his brothers, Julius He is perhaps best known for his association with Henry Ford. His designs for Ford include the Highland Park Plant (1909-1918), the Ford River Rouge Plant (Dearborn, 1917-39). His earliest works, including the Pakard Motor Co. Plant (1903-1910) are of convential design. His later works incorporated more innnovative planning techniques, such as combining a modular system with lighting from above as used in the George N. Pierce Plant in Buffalo, NY (1906).
The characteristics of his buildings came to be an exposed steel structure, a linear plan, a sawtooth profile, element standardization and fast, low-cost construction. Along with the Ford plants, Kahn designed the Chrysler Half-Ton Truck Plant in Warren, the Fisher Body Co. Planr (Cleveland, 1922), and the GM Building (Detroit). He was also th e company architect for the Packard Motor Car Co.
In the 1930's, Kahn went to BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) Brookline buidling permits McMillian Dictionary of Architects Grant Hildebrand, Designing for Industry, (Cambridge (MA), 1974 10M - 7/82 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity : BROOKLINE Form No: 4/17-1 Feller, lete, Bulding Property Name: Cadillac Building Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. the largest automobile showroom in the area and retains most of its architectural integrity. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (p.2) Russia and designed over 500 factories. Kahn's work was not limited to industrial design. He designed residences, commercial buildings and a number of educational buildings for the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
808 Commonwealth was constructed of reinforced concrete displaying more elaboration thân used in the factory buildings to be the showplace for the Cadillac luxury car. This building and the transportation revolution it represents mark an important chapter in the development of the Metropolitan area. structures designed by 808 Commonwealth Ave. meets NR criteria A & B as being one of the few Albert Kahn, one of the leading industrial architects of the 20th century, in the Boscon area and being a building connnected with the newly developed transportation revolution of the automobile. Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number OMB No.
1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 For NPS uee Onl recaives 9-4f-825 date enterec Page Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Brookline MRA MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 21. Elliot, General Simon, House 22. Emmett Cottage 23. Fernwood 24. Fire Station #7 25. Fisher Hill Historic District 26. Francis, Dr. Tappan Eustis, House 27. Fuller, Peter, Building 28. Goddard, John, House 29. Graffam Development Historic District 30.
Green Hill Historic District TKeeper Entered in the Netionel Begiaber Attest 6keeper Entered in the National Begister Attest /Keeper Entered in bhia National Register Entered in the National Register Attest t Keeper Attest 6Keeper Entered : in thie Nationel Regiater Attest - Keeper Enter eé No.te.eco3 degi atAttest Enteced in the (Keeper National Register Trborad In 65o Wational Register Attest fKeeper Attest /Keeper Entered 1n the National Register Attest (Reeper En beced In tho Mettenel Hegister Attest Date/Signature AeenByun102h delusByun Maos AelrusBye02181 AelomSgen 10/718. debmBgandn18. AilauBya101218.
MelanSyun 1/2165 AebruByen N/218i delmBgun1d0/05 85003269 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Fuller, Peter, Building (Brookline MRA) Norfolk County MASSACHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: -sample Lrequest Entered Natica Lappeal Working No._ SEP /1 1985 Fed. Reg. Date: 82 Date Due: 0/3/85 00/14/83 * the Action: -ACCEPT -10-12-E g1stem -RETURN - REJECT- Federal Agency: . NR decision Recom./Criteria Reviewer _ Discipline Date see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6.
Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? 7. Description Condition excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed yes Check one unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one original site moved date 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect summary paragraph completeness ciarity applicable criteria justification of areaschecked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10.
Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to - Signed . Date - - Phone: - Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet Peter Fuller 512 808 Comm. Are Brookline (Ma) MRA Fuller Peter Bidg. (cadellac Buldine) Brockline MRA Fuller, Pete, sllly C.cact.llac Beillgnsi Brouidline MRA MA - Fuller, Peta (Cad lluc Bulding) Bruatlme MRA 808 COMHONWEALTH ANE TULLER BUIDINg (4/17+1) BROOKLINE (Ma)MRA Town 6 Brooklne Map scale ½=200T.
GAFFNEY ALBANY AONWEALTH ARMORY =AVENUE- N RIVER 0 ROA OSBÖRNE WINSLOW TURNPIKE COMPON AOL NTFOR MASSACHUSETTS ST ON MilD KNYVET SQ. STREE WORT HINGTON RO 0630 MASON EMASON SO. 0040 IVY AMORY PLAYGROUND POND CHU 00 WINTHROP TEMPLE XAHABE STRE CHATHAM LONGWOR BEA ORLAND FullerBldg-indi Boston University Office of Community Relations 147 Bay State Road Boston, Massachusetts 02215 617/353-2292 NDITA MDCC July 10, 1985 Boston University is pleased to support the nomination of the Fuller Cadillac-O1dsmobile Building, 808 Commonwealth Avenue, now owned by the University, to the National Register of Historic Places. The building was designed in 1928 by Albert Kahn, a Detroit architect of international importance for his work as a designer of industrial structures, especially buildings for the automobile Industry.
Kahn's Cadi1lac-01dsmob1le Bullding 1s one of the most splendid of of the automobile showrooms that were constructed along Commonwealth Avenue in the early twentieth century, several of which the University has purchased and adapted for academic purposes. With handsome limestone facades of elegant classical proportions, the Cadillac-Oldsmobile Building marks a major intersection in the campus and is a notable landmark for both Commonwealth Avenue and the Charles River Campus. We endorse this proposal by the Town of Brookline and encourage the recognition of this fine building's historic and architectural significance. The adaptive re-use which the University presently plans for the Cadillac-Oldsmobile bullding is intended to preserve its architectural integrity, while enhancing its contribution to the academic and cultural life of the University and the surrounding communities.