131 College Drive

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Overview

04

Owner

Weis Buick

Address

131 College Drive Decorah, IA 52101

Year Built

1948

Architectural Style

International Style

Tour Type

Other Altfillisch Properties

In the 1949 Decorah Public Opinion Centennial Edition (June 9, 1949), an ad for the Altfillisch firm notes that they have designed the “Buick, Ford, and Chevrolet garages.” The Weis Buick “Garage and Apartment” is included as project #4708 on the Altfillisch Complete Project list. But in an interview with Elizabeth Lorentzen for the “Walk into the Past” signs, Jim Weis made clear that William Lockard was the principal designer. In the Centennial ad, Altfillisch is listed as the firm’s only architect, and Lockard is identified as “chief designer.”

As the “Walk into the Past” sign indicates, the original Weis building exhibited typical International Style features: flat roof, flush-set windows, lack of decoration, and asymmetrical facade. Since that time, the building has been given a pitched roof, and some of the rich horizontal thrust of the original building has been obscured or has disappeared.

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