{"nrhp_refnum":"07001140","name":"Pyramid Motors (Additional Documentation)","other_names":["118-5237"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"405-407 Federal St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Lynchburg","county":"Lynchburg","state":"VA","lat":37.41559003400005,"lon":-79.15144587499998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2007-11-01","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A one-story yellow and red brick automobile showroom and service building at 405-407 Federal Street in Lynchburg, Virginia, built in 1937 for the Pyramid Motor Corporation.","why_significant":"The nomination argues it is a good local example of an Art Deco/Art Moderne automobile showroom and service facility, a style rare in Lynchburg. Its streamlined design echoed the Lincoln Zephyr sold there. The building retains good integrity with only a few changes.","narrative":"Pyramid Motors is a long, one-story automobile showroom and service building at 405-407 Federal Street in Lynchburg, Virginia, just off Fifth Street, which became a car-dealership corridor in the 1930s. Built in 1937 for Robert J. Keller, Jr.'s Pyramid Motor Corporation, it sold Fords and Lincoln Zephyrs. The yellow brick facade has contrasting red-brick bands, a semi-circular corbelled entry tower and the original circular metal canopy hung from chains. Inside, the lobby and showroom floors are Bavarian brick, and the service area has steel-joist ceilings and skylights. Its streamlined Art Deco/Art Moderne styling was meant to reflect the Zephyr's modern look, and few buildings in Lynchburg used the style. No architect has been identified. Changes include loading bays added about 1971 and showroom windows shortened with matching brick in the 1980s. The building was recognized for its architecture, with 1937 as its period of significance.","period_of_significance":"1937","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Modern Movement/Art Deco/Art Moderne","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Current use is as a bookbinder (specialty store); the form says the building is being sold to the Lynchburg Neighborhood Development Foundation. It retains good integrity.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:52:02.680307-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/33/6817/41681733/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/07001140.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/07001140/f42b3d23eb-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/07001140/f42b3d23eb-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Pubdog (talk)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pyramid_Motors_Lynchburg_Nov_08.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Pubdog (talk)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pyramid_Motors_Lynchburg_Nov_08.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41681733","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_Motors","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7263256"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/lynchburg/pyramid-motors-additional-documentation-07001140/"}