Automobile Alley (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Automobile Alley Historic District
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NRHP plaque
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| Location | N Broadway Avenue from NW 4th Street to W. Park Place, Oklahoma City |
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| Area | 26.4 acres (10.7 ha) |
| Built | Various |
| Architect | Various |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial Classical Revival Modern |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000351 |
| Added to NRHP | March 18, 1999 |
The Automobile Alley neighborhood in Oklahoma City is a cool area. It's located along North Broadway Avenue in Downtown Oklahoma City. This district has many historic buildings. They used to be car dealerships.
Today, these buildings are home to popular restaurants, shops, and homes. You can also find new buildings like apartments and hotels here. Automobile Alley is listed on the National Historic Register. This means it's an important historical place.
In 2017, Mercedes Benz of Oklahoma City was the last car dealership left here. They announced they would move in 2018. After they move, their old building will be used for other things.
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Discovering Automobile Alley's Past
Automobile Alley started as a busy shopping area. It's just north of downtown Oklahoma City. In the 1920s, it was called 'A-Alley' for short. It was famous as an "auto row."
This means it had most of the city's car dealerships. Many big car brands had showrooms here. The area was very successful for many years. But in the 1970s and 1980s, downtown Oklahoma City became less busy.
Car History Still Alive
You can still see signs of the area's car past. Some luxury car brands like Mercedes Benz and Jaguar are still nearby. But now, these car places share space with many new shops and restaurants.
The ground floors of old buildings have shops. The upper floors have been changed into offices and homes. Broadway Avenue was designed to be very wide. It was shown as the widest street in Oklahoma City in 1889. People say it was wide enough for horse-drawn wagons to turn around easily.
Where is Automobile Alley?
Automobile Alley is generally known as a 20-block area. It's north of Oklahoma City's main business area. It's centered along North Broadway Avenue. This is where the big car showrooms used to be.
Today, Automobile Alley has grown much larger. It's now about 48 city blocks. It stretches from Robinson Avenue to Interstate 235.
Cool Buildings in Automobile Alley
Many historic buildings in Automobile Alley are famous at night. They have bright, colorful neon lights. These lights show off the shops and buildings along North Broadway Avenue.
How Automobile Alley Changed
After the 1980s, downtown Oklahoma City started to decline. But Automobile Alley began to change again. In the mid-1990s, people worked to make the area better. They wanted to turn old car showrooms into fancy apartments, art galleries, and offices.
The city also improved the streets. Many smaller companies moved their offices into the historic buildings. This helped bring the area back to life.
New Shops and Restaurants Arrive
In the 2000s, more shops and restaurants came to Automobile Alley. A famous restaurant called Colcord Oyster Bar moved here. Soon, other popular places like Iguana Lounge Grill and Red PrimeSteak opened.
In 2015, Broadway 10 Bar & Chop House and Sidecar Barley Wine Bar also opened. Since 2010, many retail shops have moved in. They changed old car showrooms into unique boutiques. These include Rawhide, PlenTY Mercantile, and Perch'd Modern clothiers. Automobile Alley is now a top shopping spot in Oklahoma City.
More Homes and Hotels
Since 2013, new apartments and hotels have been built. Automobile Alley's eastern side has grown towards I-235. Many historic buildings now have apartments on their upper floors.
The Metropolitan apartment complex opened in 2016. More homes are being built or planned. These new residents are helping Automobile Alley become a complete neighborhood. It's a place where people can live, work, and have fun.
The last car dealership, Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City, plans to move in 2018. It will move to Edmond. The building was first built in 1985. It was originally Benchmark Motors. Later, it became Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City.
Gallery
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Former Buick dealer building
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Former Pontiac dealer building
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Former Shelburne Motor Company building
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Lamppost flag
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NRHP plaque
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Current foreign car dealerships
