275-277 E Pender St

The building that originally existed on this lot was constructed in the 1910s by the architect Chow Hong Yee. The building that currently exists was constructed in 1949 and was renovated in 1969. The upper and lower levels both have brick exteriors, but the lower level is currently boarded by wooden panels.

Unit 277 was a store called Sam Lee Kee Plenty from the building’s construction until 1970. In 1965, the space was shared with resident Bing Kong Eng. In the early 70s, the building was occupied by Mrs. Mai Toy Eng. From the late 70s until late 80s, it housed the Delightful Food Restaurant. In the 90s, it was occupied by the Max King & Restaurant. Unit 275 was likely created after renovations to the building in 1969. The space was vacant in the early 80s and around 1985, it was occupied by Tai Shan Ben Association. In the 90s, it was occupied by a business called Local Travel Agency.

This site is part of the Chinatown Historic Area, HA-1 in the City of Vancouver’s zoning bylaw. It is included in the Vancouver Heritage Register as a recognized part of the historic neighbourhood. Other similar municipally protected sites within a Historic Area are marked on the map with an O instead of the usual Heritage Register categories of A, B, or C. Some of these sites may be newer construction but are nonetheless still protected. For more information on the bylaw that governs the Chinatown Historic Area see: https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/zoning/zoning-by-law-district-schedule-ha-1-1a.pdf

Source

VanMapp, British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955, permits database