Kindel Building
Also known as: Holmes Body Shop
Why it's listed
Built in 1927-28 at the corner of East Colorado Boulevard and North Wilson Avenue in Pasadena, this two-story reinforced concrete building was designed as a car showroom with a service garage attached at the rear. Architects Bennett and Haskell and contractor William C. Crowell built it for Dodge Brothers and Graham truck dealer James H. Kindel. The front shows five glazed round-headed arches on Corinthian columns, a dentillated cornice and large plate glass windows that let passersby see the interior. Inside, the double-height showroom has carved timber roof trusses, a scored concrete floor, rusticated-style lower walls and a theatrical central staircase to the mezzanine. The garage has open service bays below and parking and storage above. Listed for its role in Pasadena's interwar auto trade and as a well-preserved Italian Renaissance Revival showroom, it housed several dealerships over the years and remains in auto-related use.
Significance in brief: It is locally significant under Criterion A in Commerce for its role in marketing and servicing the automobile in Pasadena between the wars. It is also significant under Criterion C in Architecture as one of the best and most intact automobile showrooms in the city, with an arcaded Italian Renaissance Revival facade and richly ornamented interior.
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 96000423, listed April 18, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1095 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | April 18, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000423 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1944 |
| Architect / builder | Bennett and Haskell (Architects); William C. Crowell (Contractor) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Italian Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely unaltered from its 1927-28 appearance; still in auto-related use as a body shop, with some mezzanine infill and added offices in the showroom. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.14616, -118.12777 (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 96000423.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14682971
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.