Place
Lou Ehlers Cadillac (Demolished)
Before it was demolished, floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows provided unobstructed views of the showroom floor and the immense Cadillac logo offered on the building's exterior attracted customers from afar.
Lost
An emergency HCM nomination was submitted on July 7, but the building had been largely destroyed by the time it was considered by the Cultural Heritage Commission on July 17.
Place Details
Address
Architect
Neighborhood
Year
Style
Decade
Designation
Property Type
Government Officials
Community
Photo by Larry Underhill
Overview
Opened in 1955, the Lou Ehlers showroom was designed by the noted firm of Stiles O. Clements & Associates. Floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows gave passing motorists and pedestrians unobstructed views of the showroom floor, while the use of Cadillac’s logo for immense script signage on the building’s exterior attracted customers from afar.
About This Place
About This Place
The Lou Ehlers showroom was one of the three most significant postwar auto showrooms remaining in Los Angeles, along with Casa de Cadillac in Sherman Oaks and Felix Chevrolet near the University of Southern California’s University Park campus. Despite intensive advocacy efforts to save it, the dealership was demolished in 2008.
Sonic then constructed new facilities on both sides of Wilshire for the relocation of Beverly Hills BMW, including a new showroom and auto service center on the main Ehlers site and a three-story sales office and car lots on the south side.
The neighborhood associations representing the south and north sides of Wilshire along this stretch had contacted ModCom to discuss potential landmark nominations for the showroom buildings and Bob’s Big Boy restaurant, a late design by the renowned firm of Armet and Davis. One community group voted in late June 2008 to nominate the auto showroom for Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) status.
Our Position
The Conservancy and its Modern Committee have long considered the building to be one of the three most significant postwar auto showrooms remaining in Los Angeles, along with Casa de Cadillac in Sherman Oaks and Felix Chevrolet near the University of Southern California’s University Park campus.
Demolition began July 3, 2008, just days after new owner Sonic Automotive closed the dealership and a few days after the Conservancy contacted Sonic to request a meeting to discuss alternatives to demolition. Our call was not returned.
An emergency HCM nomination was submitted on July 7, but the building had been largely destroyed by the time it was considered by the Cultural Heritage Commission on July 17.
