By the 19th century, midtown St. Louis evolved into a commercial corridor as transportation routes and streetcars brought new development to the area. Locust Avenue became particularly attractive for automobile enterprises thanks to its proximity to major paved routes such as Grand and Olive Boulevards. Constructed in 1917, the Autocar Sales and Service Building played an important role in the development of “Automotive Row.” Designed by prominent local architect Preston J. Bradshaw, the building is significant as an example of the emerging dealership property type. These dealerships had to be well engineered to support heavy loads and transport automobiles between floors, yet still fit within the narrow footprints typical of early business districts. Initially, auto businesses adapted existing liveries and warehouses for showrooms, which proved problematic—doorways were too narrow, columns blocked vehicle movement, and the combustible nature of gasoline and electric engines raised safety concerns. In response, St. Louis enacted a 1908 ordinance requiring automotive buildings to be fireproof and structurally supportive of vehicle loads.

By the late 1910s, purpose-built dealerships began appearing, still reflecting traditional commercial architecture yet incorporating larger windows, side or rear doors for vehicle access, and massive elevators to transport cars between floors. Erected in 1917 for the Autocar Sales Company, this building was among young architect Preston J. Bradshaw’s earliest commissions. Bradshaw’s style encompassed the popular revival modes of the early 20th century—particularly Classical and Renaissance Revival. One of his earliest commissions, this building foreshadows his deft use of brickwork and limestone courses to convey a refined interpretation of these motifs that skillfully balanced ornamentation and practicality, unified by a distinctly historicist aesthetic. Bradshaw would go on to become one of the most eminent architects of St. Louis. Known initially for “small mercantile buildings,” he later gained fame for his hotels, culminating in the celebrated Chase Park Plaza. Over the years, the Autocar building changed hands and served a variety of purposes. In 2005, it was purchased from Archway Elevator and renovated into the future home of Ferguson and Katzman Photography, one of St. Louis’s premier commercial photography studios. Around this time, the building was recognized as historically significant and placed on the National Register of Historic Places, requiring that the $2 million renovation preserve the integrity of Bradshaw’s original exterior design. The interior was designed by Aleksandr “Sasha” Malinich, earning him the American Institute of Architecture’s Honor Award for Excellence in Interiors in 2001. With its clean, bright, timeless aesthetic, featuring glass, limestone, brick, and warm wood, the property lends itself to a variety of functions, largely due to the welcoming combination of communal and collaborative, as well as private space.