Karlsberger Building
99 E. Main St.

Sometimes an obsolete business space receives a dramatic new life, and this 1918 car dealership was just that lucky. Linked by a car ramp, the second story originally served as a Ford showroom, and the first story as the mechanics' garage. Fuel tanks were located underground.

In 1985, Karlsberger Companies, a prominent architectural firm, chose to renovate this building for use as its corporate headquarters. They preserved the original upper-story facade, along with its terra cotta Ford logo, and added 10,000 square feet alongside the building's original 20,000 square feet. The car ramp was converted to a staircase, but the fuel tanks still exist.

- Shirley Hyatt

If you have photos or stories of historic homes - still standing or not - call us or send an e-mail to mailbag@angieslist.com.