Motor Inn Parking Garage, Springfield, Illinois (1 of 2)
Image by myoldpostcards
Although easily overlooked, the Motor Inn Parking Garage on the southwest corner of Monroe and 4th St., is one of downtown Springfield’s more interesting structures as it represents the marriage of Art Deco architecture in the form of a two-story parking garage. Thought to be Springfield’s first indoor parking garage, the 1920’s-era building had parking on the second floor. It was almost torn down in the mid-2000’s for downtown housing, but was saved and has since been restored. It now is a combination of retail and office space. The iconic neon Motor Inn Parking sign seen on the building’s 4th street side was restored during the renovation.
The Motor Inn Parking Garage is a contributing property within the Central Springfield Historic District. The Central Springfield Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1978. The boundaries of the district were expanded in 1986 and 2015.
