Goad Motor Company Building
Also known as: Goad--Riata Cadillac Company
Why it's listed
Built in 1927 for Cadillac-LaSalle dealer Thomas Jefferson Goad, this three-story automobile showroom and service building fills much of a block along Lexington Avenue in San Antonio. Architect Harvey Partridge Smith designed it with Georgian and mild Classical Revival detailing, including cast stone pilasters, medallions and an ornamented main entry over brick walls. It began as a two-story building, gained a third floor by about 1934, and was extended in 1951 with a large open-air used car showroom and service areas. Local newspapers called it one of the finest and largest auto sales and service buildings in the South. It was the first San Antonio building constructed for a Cadillac dealership and housed one until July 1996, when the business moved to Broadway. Other 1920s dealership buildings in the city no longer serve that purpose. The building was vacant at the time of listing, with redevelopment into housing planned. It was recognized for its architecture at the local level.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an excellent local example of early 20th century commercial architecture and of the work of architect Harvey P. Smith. It was the first building in San Antonio built for a Cadillac dealership and was used continuously for that purpose until 1996. The 1951 addition is justified under Criterion Consideration G as part of a non-contiguous period of significance.
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 97001530, listed December 8, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 317 Lexington Ave., San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | December 8, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001530 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927; c. 1934; 1951 |
| Architect / builder | Smith, Harvey P. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacated in 1996 when the Cadillac dealership relocated; described as in excellent condition with high integrity. Planned redevelopment would convert it to residential use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.43368, -98.49057 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 97001530.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000185
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.