Casa de Cadillac
The iconic Mid-Century Modern Casa de Cadillac dealership, designed by Randall Duell and Phillip Conklin and built in Sherman Oaks in 1948, opened in 1949 as one of the chain of Don Lee Motors Cadillac dealerships. Ownership of the dealership passed from Lee to Martin Pollard in 1950 who changed the name to Casa de Cadillac. The corner on which it was built, at Ventura and Tyrone, once boasted four other “Casa” businesses, from gas station Casa de Petrol to roadside stand Casa Burger. Considered by some to be a quintessential example of Googie architecture, Casa de Cadillac has become a San Fernando Valley landmark. Learning about the dealership owners’ renovation plans of the showroom in 2005, the L.A. Conservancy worked with them to save the showroom and preserve its character-defining features.
Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles County
Photographer: John Bare