Yellow Belly Corner Municipal Heritage Building

Yellow Belly Corner has been designated as a Municipal Heritage Building because of its historical, aesthetic and cultural values.

The building is significant because it is a fine representation of mercantile buildings constructed after the fire of 1846. It is one of a small number of such buildings that survived the Great St. John's Fire of 1892. This building is historically important for its long historical association with commercial activities in St. John's. It was originally constructed as commercial premises on the first floor, with the upper floors serving as private dwellings.

Aesthetically Yellow Belly Corner reflects nineteenth century British commercial vernacular design, with typical 3 1/2 storeys, medium pitch side gable roof, and rectangular window openings. The weathered stone masonry and brick facade gives an impression of solidity while its human scale is inviting.

Yellow Belly Corner has great commercial and cultural value to the community and to Newfoundland and Labrador, as it is associated with the commercial development of the province, and as it was well known as a meeting place for various nineteenth century Irish county factions. Yellow Belly Corner is the cornerstone of the Water Street National Historic District. This district is of great national significance as no other mid-19th century ranges of commercial buildings in the provincial capitals or major urban centres are known to exist.