Parking structures in the 1930's; what's the scoop?

[Jerekson]

Hey fellas. Bit of an obscure request here.

I'm writing a treatment for an independent film set in the early 1930's. We are at the point in production where we are beginning to scout out shooting locations.
The director of the film wants a fight scene/shootout that takes place in a parking garage.
So far we have found one suitable abandoned garage, with smooth concrete, phosphorous lamps and no modern signs or appliances.
But I'm not convinced.

What's the deal with parking garages/structures in this time period? Did they even exist? If they did, what did they look like?

I tried doing an internet search on the topic, but came up fruitless. The earliest examples I could find were in the 60's.
Can you believe that nobody online is interested in the history of parking structures?

Any information on this topic would be priceless. I am not interested in any type of major historical inaccuracies being made in this film, and I don't want to embarrass myself.

And naturally, if anyone has pictures...

Jer

 

[Yeps]

So, the National Building Museum did an exhibit a couple years ago. I was just looking at the articles about it, and it looks like our open air concrete ugly buildings started mid-century. Earlier they were enclosed, more interesting to look at, included turntables and lifts, and were fully staffed.

Here is one of the articles with a little info.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

This structure is at 746 S. Hope St. in Downtown L.A. and it appears to have been purpose-built as a parking structure from the very beginning back in the '20s or '30s.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

...Rolodex for cars?... 1930s:

 

[Aristaeus]

Was this actually used or is it just a prototype?

 

[Jerekson]

Either way, I don't think that fits the film budget

Thanks for the info guys, it's greatly appreciated.

 

[Gene]

There's one here in Louisville that's perfect for your needs. But I don't know if travelling or getting a permit to shoot here is within your budget!

http://unusualkentucky.blogspot.com/2009/11/morrissey-building.html

 

[Stanley Doble]

Certainly they existed. Every city had garages that stored cars and serviced them as well. Usually old multi storey brick warehouse or factory type buildings with wooden floors.

You might look at the murder scene in "Some Like It Hot". It was set in a typical Chicago garage, vintage 1929. It is a long scene and shows how the garage was laid out, how the cars were parked etc.

There were buildings of reinforced concrete and brick, built specifically as auto storage and repair garages as early as 1905.

It is hard to know what you need without more details.

Incidentally cars built before about 1940 were not very durable when it came to sitting out in the weather. The bodies were made of wooden framework with metal panels. The roofs were made of imitation leather. The paint deteriorated rapidly and had to be polished and waxed regularly. So they were much more likely to be stored inside when not in use, either in a commercial garage or in a garage beside the owner's house. There were more parking or storage garages in the twenties and thirties than today, in relation to the number of cars on the road.