Iconic Casa de Cadillac opened as Don Lee Cadillac in the spring of 1949. Designed by Randall Duell, a USC trained architect who also designed motion picture sets, the two story polished glass box showroom with attached lanai courtyard looked like it came out of a movie. Within a year, the agency was sold and renamed Casa de Cadillac, a name it wears to this day.
Casa is a spectacular late example of streamline moderne with an iconic monument sign and eighty two feet of white neon spelling out "Casa de Cadillac" in exactly the same font as the fender script of a 1949 Cadillac nameplate. Irreplaceable.
Adjacent to the dealership once stood the Casa de Cascade Car Wash and the Casa de Petrol Gas Station, all under the same ownership. An iconic photo of James Dean and the Porsche 550 was taken at Casa de Petrol. Both buildings still exist.
Casa is still in use today, and in very reasonable condition. Preserved by neglect to a degree, but thankfully has suffered only minimal alteration since construction. Presented in period photos from construction, 1953, 1956, 1960, and 1966. I find the Holiday photos especially charming.
Ladies and Gentlemen, take a look back at the history of Casa de Cadillac:
great post! I love cars and architecture, so this was a win-win and then some. I would love to have that Cadillac script made into a font. I have a "Frigidaire" font which is similar, and based on the iconic refrigerator logo.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great pics. I love this building and was so happy when I stumbled upon it by accident on a trip to Los Angeles a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteWow...so nice to see this spread. I grew up in Sherman Oaks, CA about a mile from Casa de Cadillac. In 1979 my dad bought his 1st Cadillac from that agency and had the car serviced there for years. In 1994, the earthquake took out all the windows of the building, but it appeared to have suffered minimal damage otherwise and still looks great last I saw it a few years ago. I now live in Eugene, Oregon, but have pleasant memories of the nice low-pressure salesman who sold my dad the car. Dick at franklin51@aol.com
ReplyDeleteAlso Fatburger across the street was Casa Burger
ReplyDeleteYes, Casa Burger was across the street, but not owned by the same people.
DeleteCasa Burger! yeah! one would have to be over a certain age to remember that. i'm there. great hamburger stand. is the fat burger there anymore?
DeleteWhat an awesome article, about my favorite car dealer on the planet! To think this building & company are still in existance since 1949! I hope it stays in business forever-- thanks for this post. I am linking it to my Facebook page!
ReplyDeleteBraun Cadillac here in Orlando, Florida was a modern masterpiece too, it was demolished over 20 years ago, the spot it sat on has remained an empty lot ever since. I could have the roof letters for the taking but I didn't, I don't even have a photo.
ReplyDeleteMy father worked here for many years and dressed up as a clown for the openings of Casa de Petrol and Cascade. It was in 1960 as I recall and James Dean was already demised by then. I remember my dad driving in all the cars off the back lot to the inside garage before going home. Thanks for the memories as it really took me back
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