Originally home to one of Minneapolis’s first automobile showrooms, Loring Corners is a rare and intact example of a multi-building complex built around the rise of car culture. Constructed between 1911 and 1917 for the Fawkes Auto Company, the site was designed to support the full lifecycle of early automobiles: showroom, sales, service, storage, and parts. Internal passageways, shared automotive elevators, and alley-facing garage doors allowed vehicles to move fluidly between buildings and across floors, accommodating a wide range of makes and models.

Architecturally, the complex merges commercial pragmatism with classical detailing. Terra cotta ornament, steel-framed industrial windows, cast stone columns, and decorative skylights were used to elevate the presence of the automobiles on display. Although constructed over time, the buildings share a consistent palette of materials and proportions that ties the complex together.

AWH Architects led the historic documentation and National Register nomination of Loring Corners. In collaboration with the owners, SHPO, and local historians, we helped uncover the site's layered history and clarify its architectural significance. This foundational work served as the first step toward thoughtful rehabilitation and unlocking Historic Tax Credit eligibility. By providing both tax credit guidance and early space planning, we helped ensure that modernization goals align with preservation standards.

What began as a hub for early American car culture is now a cornerstone of the Loring Park community. By letting the building’s historic character guide the conversation, we’ve helped ensure Loring Corners continues to shape the identity of the neighborhood it helped define.