Description of Historic Place

The Alex Nicholas Residence is a wooden two-storey Craftsman Style residence with a moderately projecting bay window, an off-centred entrance, and a large roof-line cornice. It is located on Orange Street within the Orange Street Heritage Preservation Area of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Alex Nicholas Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its location, for its architecture and for its association with its former occupants.

The Alex Nicholas Residence is recognized as part of the block that survived the Great Saint John Fire in 1877 which destroyed two-thirds of the city. The eastern end of Orange Street was occupied mostly by merchants and tradesmen. Built in 1927, this building, which is an excellent example of Craftsman residential architecture, marks the second of five double homes running west to east in succession that were constructed in the mid-1920’s on Orange Street. In the 1920's, Saint John was going through a small building boom. Unfortunately, this prosperity was short lived as the stock market crash of 1929 led to the Great Depression.

The Alex Nicholas Residence is also recognized for its association with Alex Nicholas, an early occupant of this home who moved into this residence about 1939. Alex came to Saint John from Greece in 1913 and operated a tobacco store. That same year, he was joined by his brother Michael and the Nicholas Bros. tobacco shop was formed. Besides tobacco and tobacco supplies, the firm sold a wide selection of magazines, periodicals, paper backs, souvenirs, candy, and had a soda fountain and supplied light lunches. Nicholas Bros. folded after Michael passed away in 1972.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe the Alex Nicholas Residence include:
- similar set-back with neighbouring buildings;
- symmetrical with building to the east;
- rectangular two-storey massing;
- clapboard siding;
- large roof-line cornice with modillions;
- moderately projecting two-storey bay window;
- bracketed entablatures over window openings;
- double wooden doors with glass panels;
- bracketed entablature over the entrance;
- rectangular transom window over entrance;
- Arts and Crafts detailing in windows;
- rectangular vertical sliding wooden windows.