Fuller, Peter, Building
Also known as: Cadillac Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1927 at 808 Commonwealth Avenue in Brookline, this five-story limestone building was a Cadillac showroom, sales and repair facility, later long home to the Peter Fuller Cadillac dealership. It stood at the gateway of "Automobile Row," the Boston area's center for car sales and service from the 1920s through the 1960s. Detroit architect Albert Kahn, best known for industrial plants for Ford, Packard and other automakers, designed it. Here he used a more elaborate classical treatment, with fluted pilasters, rosettes, an entablature and anthemion ornament, to make a showplace for a luxury car. Large showroom windows light the lower floors, and a granite band wraps the base. It was considered the largest automobile showroom in the area and kept most of its architectural integrity. It was listed as one of few Kahn-designed structures in the Boston area and as a marker of the automobile's transportation revolution.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites it as one of the few Boston-area buildings designed by Albert Kahn, a leading industrial architect of the 20th century. It is also tied to the automobile's rise and to "Automobile Row" on Commonwealth Avenue. It is described as the largest automobile showroom in the area and retains most of its architectural integrity.
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 85003269, listed October 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 808 Commonwealth Ave., Brookline |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | October 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003269 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Albert Kahn (Detroit); built by the Cadillac Auto Company |
| Architectural style | 20th C. "Classical" |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by Boston University, which plans adaptive re-use intended to preserve its architectural integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.35037, -71.10474 (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 85003269.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7174114
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.