Bob Peck Chevrolet, 800 North Glebe Road, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia

Significance: When it opened in 1964, the Bob Peck Chevrolet dealership at the corner of Glebe and Wilson, one of Ballston's major transportation crossroads, quickly became one of Arlington's landmarks. Making the most of its location, the site plan featured a distinctive, transparent circular showroom made of glass and chrome with a butterfly roof line that created a frieze of diamond-shaped, blue panels. Lettering within the panels spelled "Chevrolet." The buildings of the dealership were demolished in 2007.

The showroom was an outstanding example of automotive-inspired commercial architecture, and it was part of a larger design oeuvre for the industry that peaked in the 1960s. The only rival to the forward-looking, sleek and aerodynamic buildings of the car dealerships were the chrome and fin enhanced machines on display inside.

Survey number: HABS VA-1413

Building/structure dates: 1963-1964 Initial Construction

Building/structure dates: 2007-2008 Demolished

automobile dealerships transportation industry modern architectural elements butterfly roof canopies circular buildings billboards glass showrooms automobile repair automobile industry arlington peck chevrolet bob peck chevrolet glebe north glebe road arlington county virginia arlington iron works historic american buildings survey anthony f musolino virginia b price sharpe and hamaker inc photo ultra high resolution high resolution library of congress

1933 - 1970

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

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