General Electric Company Repair Shop Warehouse
Also known as: Toby Sexton Tire
Why it's listed
Two large masonry buildings at Glenn and Humphries streets in Atlanta's Mechanicsville neighborhood once served as General Electric's Southeast regional repair shop and warehouse. Built in 1922 and designed by General Electric, they were constructed by the Atlanta firm Flagler Company. The four-story warehouse has a concrete frame supported by mushroom-shaped columns, brick spandrel walls and a tall open concrete tower that served as advertising. Beside it stands a plain two-story brick repair shop with large factory windows. A trade magazine called the warehouse the South's largest electrical warehouse. The complex is recognized for its architecture, as a strong example of the fireproof, quickly built concrete-framed industrial buildings common in the 1920s and 1930s, and for its link to Atlanta's growth as a regional business center and the spread of electricity and appliances across the South. General Electric operated here until 1977, and a tire business later occupied the warehouse. In 2006 both buildings were rehabilitated as apartments.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the buildings are excellent examples of large 1920s industrial architecture, with concrete-framed warehouse construction, brick infill and factory windows. They also represent Atlanta's rise as a regional corporate center and the spread of electricity and electrical appliances in the Southeast. It describes the complex as the only building in Atlanta that represents General Electric's rise in the region.
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 08000968, listed October 10, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 488 Glenn Ave., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | October 10, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000968 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1922-1958 |
| Architect / builder | Flagler Company (builder); designed by General Electric |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movement: Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated as residential apartments in 2006; current use is multiple dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.73954, -84.40373 (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 08000968.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134355801
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.