Howard Motor Company Building
Also known as: Acura of Pasadena,California Custom Coach,Inc.,Howard Automo
Why it's listed
Built in 1927 at 1285 East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, this two-story building combines a lavish automobile showroom with a plain service garage behind. The Austin Company of California served as architect and contractor for the Howard Motor Company, a Buick dealership that had outgrown its earlier quarters. The showroom front is finished in smooth cement plaster, with a wide elliptical arch of plate glass and a cast stone Churrigueresque panel of mythical faces, shells, scrollwork and urn-shaped finials. Inside, carved timber trusses, a red tile floor, cast stone coats of arms and two gilded chandeliers decorate the double-height space. The L-shaped garage fronts on North Chester Avenue. The building represents the showroom type common on Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard auto rows, where theatrical design drew attention to the cars and large windows gave a view from the street. It later housed a Packard dealership and remains a showroom today, largely unaltered from 1927.
Significance in brief: It is locally significant under Criterion A (Commerce) as a well-preserved example of the automobile showroom property type that emerged in Pasadena's early automobile era. It is also significant under Criterion C (Architecture) as an accomplished example of Spanish Colonial Revival style, with a Churrigueresque facade and richly ornamented interior. It remains virtually unaltered from its 1927 appearance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 96000422, listed April 18, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1285 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | April 18, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000422 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1944 |
| Architect / builder | Austin Company of California (Architect/Builder) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as an automobile showroom; the building remains virtually unaltered from its 1927 appearance, with some minor changes such as a added sign, infilled mezzanine offices and replaced window framing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.14638, -118.12387 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 96000422.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14682387
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.