Willys–Overland Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Willys-Overland Building
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 Location in St. Louis
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2300 Locust St., St. Louis, Missouri |
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| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | Mills, Rhines, Bellman and Nordhoff |
| Architectural style | Commercial Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001617 |
| Added to NRHP | 1999 |
The Willys-Overland Building is a historic building in St. Louis, Missouri. It used to be a big place where cars were sold and sent out. This building was the main dealership for the Willys-Overland Company in St. Louis. It opened in February 1917 and was used by the company until 1932. When it first opened, it was special because it hosted the very first indoor St. Louis Auto Show.
A Look at the Building
This building has six stories and is made of brick. It has many large windows all around. The outside doesn't have a lot of fancy decorations.
What Was Inside?
When it was first built, the ground floor was a showroom. This is where people could see and buy cars. The floors above had space to store cars. They also had rooms where cars were put together. Big freight elevators helped move cars between floors. There was even a paint shop for car bodies. A repair shop was also on the upper floors. The floors are almost one foot thick! This strong concrete was needed to hold the weight of all the cars and shops.
A Big Deal in St. Louis
When it was built, the Willys-Overland Building was the biggest car dealership in St. Louis. Because it was so large, the people who organized the St. Louis Auto Show wanted to use it. Before 1917, the auto show was held outside. But starting in 1917, the show moved inside this new, big building.
By 1927, the Willys-Overland Company had grown a lot. They even moved their used car sales to another building nearby. The company also had about a dozen other dealerships in the area. But this building stayed their main office in the region until 1932.
Changes Over Time
The Great Depression was a very hard time for businesses. Because of this, the Willys-Overland Company had to leave the building in 1932. It stayed empty until 1935. Then, another company bought it. Later, in 1963, it was sold again. Since then, different small businesses have used the first floor. The upper floors were not used much for a long time.
In 1999, the building was recognized as important history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. After this, it was fixed up. In 2005, the building got another big renovation. This cost $12 million! After this, it was renamed the NSI Building. Today, the building is for sale.
