5100 EXCELSIOR BLVD.

What would become 5100 Excelsior Blvd. was first the site of the Waddel farm, across the street from the future Miracle Mile. In the 1920's the tract was owned by C.B. Waddel, a Hennepin County Commissioner and likely descendant of Sarah E. Waddel, who owned a strip of land along Excelsior Blvd. that ran all the way to 36th Street according to an 1889 map.

In 1953, Victor E. Anderson of St. Paul paid $14,000 for the Waddell house in order to build Anderson Cadillac, apparently a spinoff of Warren Cadillac. The building was designed by architects Lang & Raugland. Its 16,000 square feet occupied four acres, and featured a glass-enclosed showroom. Victor Anderson was a former director of the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association. Reuben L. Anderson, Vice President of the new Dealership, was a plumbing and heating contractor, and was said to have held the contract for remodeling the White House in Washington. At the time, Anderson Cadillac was only the second Cadillac dealer in Hennepin County. Two 550 gallon gas tanks were installed on the property.

In 1956 a second floor addition was built and given a separate address: 5060 Excelsior Blvd. This would become the offices of construction giant Anderson Cherne. (In fact, in 1971, the company was cited for using the premises for storing construction materials.) In 1956 a steel building was built on the property, over the objections of Mr. Earl F. Anderson who lived on 36th Street. In 1959, 18 creosote-treated pilings had to be sunk in order to support an addition for a parts room.

The site continued to be a car lot. When Anderson Cadillac moved to 7400 Wayzata Blvd. in 1965, it became the site of Riveria Imports until 1970. At that time the manager was Louis S. Reiter.

Next was Pentel Pontiac Used Cars, owned by Ervin Pentel who had operated out of Lake Street for the past 16 years. The lot “by the water tower” was open for business in March 1971 with over 200 cars, and the grand opening was held from April 15-17. Among the dignitaries who attended the ribbon cutting were Mayor Frank Howard, the Parkettes, personalities from radio stations WMIN and WLOL, four members of the Vikings, Clancy the Cop, Jeanne Arland Peterson, and the Reuben Ristrom Trio. The day was apparently not marred by the fact that Pentel’s name was misspelled on the sign. A reported 2,500 people attended the open house. Curiously, the lot’s advertising claimed it was part of Miracle Mile, which was in fact across the street. An ad from October 1971 announced the addition of Fiat to the Pentel Pontiac name
 

In November 1981 it became Wilkins Pontiac Fiat, owned by Mark and Harvey Wilkins – Bill Brellenthin, general manager.

In 1992 the tanks were dug up and the property purchased by the City Housing Redevelopment Agency. The buildings were demolished in 1993 to make way for the Park Commons redevelopment.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.