York Residence

The York Residence is a two-storey Streamline Moderne-style building located in historic Chinatown, adjacent to one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods. The historic place is confined to the building footprint.

Built in 1948, the York Residence is a very good example of a vernacular Streamline Moderne-style building. The York Residence's sleek, streamlined appearance, its horizontal orientation, smooth surfaces, curved corners and balcony are hallmarks of this modernistic style.

The York Residence is a rare remaining building located on the site of Nanaimo’s historic Chinatown. Other remaining buildings are from a much earlier era. The York Residence, with its modern styling and landscaped yard, provides evidence that Nanaimo's Chinatown was more than the collection of haphazardly-arranged, boomtown-style buildings that popular local histories often suggest.

Source: City of Nanaimo Planning Department

The character-defining elements of the York Residence include:

-all of the elements of the Streamline Moderne-style building, as expressed in the asymmetrical form, horizontal orientation, minimal ornamentation, flat roof, rounded corners and second-floor balcony, smooth stucco walls, metal balcony railings, corner windows, simple door and window trim, and entry door sidelights with reeded glass

- the building's location in historic Chinatown