Holz-Forshage-Krueger Building
Why it's listed
Located on West San Antonio Street, the main commercial street of New Braunfels, this brick building began in 1908 as the home of the N. Holz & Son Implement Company, which sold farm implements, buggies and wagons. Its two-story front has five bays, brick pilasters, wooden windows and a curved parapet. In 1926 a one-story brick and stucco addition was built to the east, and the ground floor was reworked with large plate glass windows and a drive-in entrance to suit the growing automobile trade. Over the following decades the building housed Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Nash and Mazda dealerships, along with a grocery store, and the upper floor held a dress manufacturer, a skating rink and apartments. A Bavarian-style facade was added in 1972. It is considered one of the most intact commercial buildings in the city and a good local example of an early automobile-era commercial building. Plans call for converting it to apartments and retail space.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be one of the most intact commercial buildings in New Braunfels and representative of the city's early to mid 20th century commercial architecture. Its 1926 alterations adapted it for automobile sales and service, and those changes fall within the period of significance. It housed implement and automobile businesses for more than 84 years.
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 97000362, listed April 17, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 472 W. San Antonio St., New Braunfels |
|---|---|
| County | Comal County |
| Listed | April 17, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000362 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1908; 1926 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Other: 2-part Commercial Block |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant/not in use; described as in good condition with a high degree of integrity and being adapted by the owner for downtown housing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.69966, -98.12806 (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 97000362.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000935
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.