McCarter, John Young | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada

McCARTER, John Young (1886-1981)
(biography under preparation)

The Canadian Architectural Archives at the University of Calgary holds an extensive collection of original drawings prepared by John Y. McCarter and by the firm of McCarter & Nairne from 1912 until 1970 (Acc. 71A/80.6). In addition the Vancouver City Archives holds many sets of blueprints for works by the firm erected in the Vancouver area.

J.Y. McCARTER (works in Vancouver unless noted)

DUNLEVY AVENUE, at Jackson Street, a six-storey hotel for Dr. A.A. Wilson, 1912 (The Sun [Vancouver], 2 Sept. 1912, 27, descrip.)
MAGEE ROAD, in Eburne, residence for T.J. Madlen, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 2 Nov. 1912, 32, descrip.)
HOTEL PATRICIA, East Hastings Street, 1912 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
ALCAZAR THEATRE, Commercial Drive at East Georgia Street, 1913; later called The York Theatre, restored 2012-13 (Vancouver Daily World, 20 Aug. 1913, 4; Architecture - The Journal of the Royal Architectural Inst. of Canada [Ottawa], Summer 2015, 32-4, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
ALMA COURT APARTMENTS, Alberta Street at West 6th Avenue, an apartment block for William G. Elliott, 1913 (Province [Vancouver], 11 Jan. 1913, 7, descrip.; Vancouver Daily World, 24 Jan. 1913, 20, descrip.; Western Call [Vancouver], 31 Jan. 1913, 4, descrip.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
KITSILANO THEATRE, 4th Avenue West near Arbutus Street, 1913; altered 1922 by H.H. Simmonds (City of Vancouver b.p. 4657, 31 March 1913; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
B.C. TELEPHONE CO., Seymour Street, head office, 1913 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
WESTERN CANADA BUILDING, West Pender Street, 1914 (Vancouver b.p. 5 May 1914)

McCARTER & NAIRNE (Commercial & Industrial works in Vancouver unless noted)

JAMES I. REID LTD., Granville Street, store, 1922 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
DAVID SPENCER CO. West Hastings Street at Richards Street, major additions and alterations to department store, 1925 (Const., xviii, Sept. 1925, 292; and xx, Nov. 1927, 345, illus. in advert; R.A.I.C. Journal, iv, Nov. 1927, xi, illus. in advert.; vii, Sept. 1930, 316, illus.; dwgs. at Canadian Architectural Collection, Univ. of Calgary; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
CHILLIWACK, B.C., The Empress Hotel, Princess Avenue at Young Road, 1926; demol. Oct. 2010 (C.R., xl, 10 Feb. 1926, 53; (Chilliwack Progress, 10 March 1927, 1, illus.; and 6 Oct. 1927, 1 & 10, descrip.)
LEEK & CO., Homer Street, office and warehouse, 1926 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
VANCOUVER ICE & COLD STORAGE CO., Gore Avenue, major addition to warehouse, 1927; power plant, 1928; cold storage plant, 1938 (The Province [Vancouver], 11 Jan. 1927, 17; C.R., xli, 5 Jan. 1927, 49; and xlii, 4 Jan. 1928, 48; and li, 13 July 1938, 36; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
DOMINION BRIDGE CO., Granville Island, warehouse, 1927 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
CONNAUGHT BEACH CLUB LTD., clubhouse, 1927 (C.R., xli, 28 Sept. 1927, 51)
McKENZIE, WHITE & DUNSMUIR LTD., Burrard Street, warehouse, 1927 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
KELOWNA, B.C., Palace Hotel, major addition and alterations, renamed the Royal Anne Hotel, 1928 (Vernon News, 17 May 1928, 1; Canadian Hotel Review, vi, June 1928, 55; J. Weir, Lost Craft of Ornamented Architecture: Canadian Architectural Drawings 1850-1930, 1983, 88, illus.)
MEDICAL & DENTAL BUILDING, Georgia Street at Hornby Street, a 12 storey office building, 1928-29; demol. 1989 (Province [Vancouver], 15 May 1928, 14, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xlii, 13 June 1928, 645, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, vii, June 1930, 206-11, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
(with Hodgson & Simmonds) B.C. ELECTRIC RAILWAY, Granville Street at Dunsmuir Street, showrooms, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 4 Jan. 1928, 7, illus. & descrip.; Vancouver Sun, 26 May 1928, Section 8 - Industrial Review, page 4, illus. with signed drawing)
HIPPODROME THEATRE, West Hastings Street, between Carrall Street at Abbott Street, for the Hippodrome Vaudeville Theatre Co., 1928 (Vancouver Sun, 14 Jan. 1928, 1, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xlii, 25 Jan. 1928, 65)
R.S. DAY CO., Burrard Street at Eveleigh Street, office block, 1928 (Vancouver Sun, 30 Oct. 1928, 12, illus.)
SOUTH SLOCAN, B.C., hotel for West Kootenay Light & Power Co., 1929 (C.R., xliii, 18 Sept. 1929, 51)
HALL BUILDING, Pender Street at Howe Street, 1929 (C.R., xliii, 17 April 1929, 72; 25 Dec. 1929, 81, illus.)
MARINE BUILDING, Burrard Street at West Hastings Street, 1929-30 (C.R., xliii, 11 Dec. 1929, 1445, illus. & descrip.; and xliv, 9 April 1930, 412, illus.; and 22 Oct. 1930, 1342-43, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, vii, July 1929, 253, illus.; viii, July 1931, 256-63, illus. & descrip.; The Architect (New York), xv, March 1931, 307-8; 349-55, illus.; H. Kalman, History of Canadian Architecture, 1994, 763-5, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at Canadian Architectural Collection, Univ of Calgary; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
NAGLE BROTHERS GARAGE, Water Street, 1930 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives; H. Kalman, Exploring Vancouver, 1978, 24, illus.)
TRAIL, B.C., block for West Kootenay Power & Light Co., Cedar Street, 1930 (C.R., xliv, 24 Sept. 1930, 215)
B.C. PACKERS LTD., foot of Campbell Avenue, on the Kingsley Dock, a 2 storey office building, 1936 (Vancouver Sun, 18 May 1936, 2; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
CANADA ROOF PRODUCTS, Arbutus Street at West10th Street, 1936 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
TIMES SQUARE BUILDING, Granville Street at West 40th Street, 1936 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
SAFEWAY STORES LTD., near Nelson Street, between Mainland Street and Hamilton Street, a large 2 storey produce warehouse, 1937 (Vancouver Sun, 8 Feb. 1937, 9, descrip.; and 20 Feb. 1937, 14, descrip.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
B.C. ELECTRIC RAILWAY CO., power substation in the Grandview District, East First Avenue at Kamloops Street, 1937 (The Province [Vancouver], 1 March 1937, 1; Vancouver Sun, 1 March 1937, 3, descrip.)
BURNABY, B.C., Ford Motor Co. Assembly Plant, Kingsway at Silver Avenue, 1937-38 (The Province [Vancouver], 27 May 1937, 11, descrip.; and Vancouver Province, Saturday Magazine, 7 Jan. 1939, 3, illus. & descrip.; C.R., vol. 50, 25 Aug. 1937, 40)
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., warehouse for McLennan, McFeely & Prior, Columbia Street at Blackie Street, 1939 (C.R., lii, 18 Jan. 1939, 36, t.c.)
(with Mathers & Haldenby) COCA-COLA BOTTLING PLANT, Cornwall Street at Chesnut Street, 1941 (C.R., liv, 30 April 1941, 29, 36; R.A.I.C. Journal, xx, March 1943, 41-3, illus.)
EDMUNDS & WALKER LTD., Campbell Avenue, fish storage plant, 1944 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
B.C. HYDRO, Murrin Sub-Station, Main Street at East Georgia Street, 1945 (Chilliwack Progress, 30 May 1945, 8, illus. & descrip.; H. Kalman, Exploring Vancouver, 1993, 40, illus.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
NEON PRODUCTS OF CANADA LTD., Clark Drive, warehouse, 1945 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
B.C. TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, West 10th Avenue at Yew Street, 1945 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
VICTORIA, B.C., Sidney Roofing & Paper Co., on the Industrial Reserve, 1945 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiii, Feb. 1946, 39, illus.)
VICTORIA, B.C., Western Match Co., Fairview Road, factory, 1945 (D. Field, Built Heritage in Esquimalt, 1984, 10-11, illus.)
TRANS-CANADA AIRLINES, Howe Street, ticket office, 1946 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
McLENNAN, McFEELY & PRIOR LTD., Clark Drive at East 3rd Avenue, warehouse, 1946 (C.R., lix, March 1946, 112)
JAMES RICHARDSON & SONS, West Hastings Street near Hornby Street, 1947 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
CUNNINGHAM DRUG STORES LTD., West Broadway near Cambie Street, warehouse and factory, 1947 (C.R., lx, March 1947, 120)
CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., West Pender Street at Thurlow Street, 1947 (C.R., lx, May 1947, 122; dwgs. at Vancover City Archives)
NORTH WESTERN DREDGING CO., Hornby Street at Drake Street, 1948 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
CHILLIWACK, B.C., Medical-Dental Building, Main Street, 1949 (Chillwack Progress, 31 Aug. 1949, 16-17, illus. & descrip.)
CANADA PERMANENT TRUST CO., Granville Street at Pender Street, a 5 storey office building, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Feb. 1949, 152; Vancouver News-Herald, 8 Sept 1950, 1; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
DOMINION BANK, West Pender Street at Granville Street, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Oct. 1949, 148; Province [Vancouver], 5 June 1951, 8-9, illus.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
BURRARD BUILDING OPERATIONS LTD., West Hastings Street at Burrard Street, a large 2 storey office building, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Nov. 1949, 128; Vancouver Sun, 12 Jan. 1950, 17, illus.)
YORKSHIRE SECURITIES LTD., West Pender Street at Hornby Street, a 5 storey office block, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Nov. 1949, 128; Vancouver News-Herald, 27 Feb 1950, 3, illus. & descrip.; and 23 Oct. 1950, 8, detailed descrip. )
PRINCE RUPERT, B.C., office and printing plant for the Prince Rupert Daily News Ltd., Third Avenue, 1950 (Nanaimo Free Press, 17 Nov. 1949, 5, descrip.; C.R., lxiii, Jan. 1950, 154)
LIQUID CARBONIC CANADIAN CORP., Barnard Street at 75th Avenue, office and plant, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, Jan. 1950, 154; R.A.I.C. Journal, xxvii, Sept. 1950, 302, illus.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
CLARKE SIMPKINS LTD., West Georgia Street near Broughton Street, auto showroom and warehouse, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, July 1950, 128; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
KELLY DOUGLAS & CO. LTD., Sussex Avenue at The Kingsway, factory, 1950 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xvii, Sept. 1950, 301, illus.)

McCARTER & NAIRNE (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Vancouver unless noted)

BURNABY, B.C., a high school, on the Kingsway school site, 1922 (Vancouver Daily World, 31 May 1922, 16, t.c.)
(with Robert W. Chadney) CANADIAN MEMORIAL CHURCH & COMMUNITY HALL, West 16th Avenue at Cedar Street, 1922-23 (Vancouver Daily World, 4 July 1922, 9, descrip; and 16 Sept. 1922, 14, descrip. of Community Hall; C.R., xxxvi, 4 Oct. 1922, 50; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOC., Burrard Street at Dunsmuir Street, a hall and gymnasium, 1924 (Vancouver Sun, 9 April 1924, 6, descrip.)
VANCOUVER CRYSTAL POOL, Beach Avenue at Nicola Street, 1925 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
CHILLIWACK, B.C., Masonic Temple, Main Street at Kipp Avenue, 1928 (Chilliwack Progress, 31 May 1928, 1, descrip.; and 6 Dec. 1928, 7, illus. & descrip.)
RICHMOND, B.C., Cambie Junior High School, Sexsmith Road, 1927-28 (The Province [Vancouver], 5 Jan. 1928, 8, descrip.; D. Franklin, Early School Architecture in British Columbia, 1980, 59)
BURNABY, B.C., public school, Second Street, 1928 (Province [Vancouver], 5 April 1928, 3)
GILMORE AVENUE PUBLIC SCHOOL, major addition of south wing and auditorium, 1928 (Province [Vancouver], 29 May 1928, 17, t.c.)
KELOWNA, B.C., junior high school, 1929; major additions, 1939 (Vernon News, 4 April 1929, 3; C.R., xliii, 17 April 1929, 67; Vancouver Sun, 6 April 1939, 11)
NANAIMO, B.C., Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge, Bastion Street at Skinner Street, 1933-34 (C.R., xlvii, 22 Nov. 1933, 1081; Nanaimo Free Press, 26 March 1934, 1, descrip.; and 19 Oct. 1934, 1 & 8, descrip.)
ARMOURY, for the Seaforth Highlanders, 1st Avenue West at Cedar Street, 1934 -35 (Vancouver Daily Province, 1 May 1935, 4, illus. & descrip.; Building in Canada, Aug. 1935, 11, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, June 1937, 104-05, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
VANCOUVER GUN CLUB, Oak Street at West 49th Street, 1934 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
NELSON, B.C., public auditorium, Vernon Street, 1935 (C.R., xlix, 15 May 1935, 33)
POSTAL STATION & OFFICE BUILDING, Granville Street at West Hastings Street, 1935-36, a major 6 storey extension to the Federal Building originally erected in 1905-10; now part of the Sinclair Centre (Vancouver News-Herald, 15 Nov. 1934, 8; Victoria Daily Times, 12 June 1935, 2, descrip.; Vancouver Sun, 20 March 1936, 2, descrip.; and Vancouver Sun, 30 April 1937, Industrial Review Section, 20, detailed descrip.; The Province [Vancouver], 20 March 1936, 15; Building in Canada, Sept. 1937, 24, illus.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xiv, Dec. 1937, 4, illus. in advert.)
PACIFIC NATIONAL EXHIBITION, East Hastings Street, several new exhibit buildings including: The Forum, 1935; (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives) and
The Livestock Building, 1939 (C.R., lii, 13 Sept. 1939, 26; Vancouver Sun, 30 Sept. 1939, 22, t.c.; and 21 Oct. 1939, 2, illus. & descrip.; R.A.I.C. Journal, xviii, Aug. 1941, 136, illus.; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives) and
Sheep Building, 1948; (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives); and
Swine Building, 1948 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives).
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Burrard Street at Barclay Street, designed 1939; built 1940-41 (Vancouver Sun, 27 Jan. 1939, 13, detailed descrip.; and 26 Feb. 1940, 15, illus. & descrip.; C.R., liii, 17 Jan. 1940, 21; and liv, 11 June 1941, 15, illus. & descrip.; Building in Canada, Summer 1941, 73, illus.; J. Weir, Lost Craft of Ornamented Architecture-Canadian Architectural Drawings 1850-1930, 1983, 92, illus.)
NANAIMO, B.C., Civic Arena, Bridge Street, 1939-40 (Nanaimo Free Press, 26 Oct. 1939, 1 & 5, descrip.; and 11 May 1940, Industrial Section, 13, illus. & descrip.; C.R., liii, 10 Jan. 1940, 27, t.c.)
VICTORIA, B.C., Royal Canadian Naval College at Esquimalt Naval Base, 1942 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xix, May 1942, 124; xx, Aug. 1943, 128, illus.)
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C., a junior & senior High School, 1944 (Nanaimo Free Press, 22 Jan. 1944, 2; Vancouver Sun, 22 Jan. 1944, )
NORTH VANCOUVER, Westview School, Bewicke Avenue at West 16th Street, 1944 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxi, Nov. 1944, 258, illus.)
DUNBAR PUBLIC LIBRARY, Dunbar Street at West 29th Avenue, 1946 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiv, Feb. 1947, 46, illus.)
RICHMOND, B.C., Elementary School, 1947-48 (Marpole-Richmond Review [Steveston], 3 Dec. 1947, 1, illus.)
CHILLIWACK, Medical-Dental Building, Church Avenue at Main Street, 1947-49 (Chilliwack Progress, 27 Aug. 1947, 1, descrip.; and 31 Aug. 1949, 16-17, descrip.)
KERRISDALE ARENA, East Boulevard at West 37th Avenue, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Jan. 1948, 178; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
KELOWNA, B.C., War Memorial Arena, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Feb. 1948, 168)
KELOWNA, B.C., school, 1948 (C.R., lxi, July 1948, 130)
HOPE, B.C., Hope & District Medical Centre, 1948 (Chilliwack Progress, 4 Aug. 1948, 14)
WESTBANK, B.C., high school, 1948 (C.R., lxi, Sept. 1948, 130)
KERRISDALE INDOOR ICE ARENA, East Boulevard near West 41st. Avenue, 1949; still standing in 2023 (C.R., lxii, Jan. 1949, 194; Vancouver News-Herald, 10 Nov. 1949, 20)
WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C., school, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Jan. 1949, 188)
HOPE, B.C., high school, 1949 (C.R., lxii, April 1949, 155)
PENTICTON, B.C., major addition to high school, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Sept. 1949, 160)
VERNON, B.C., junior high school, 1949 (C.R., lxii, June 1949, 116)
PORT ALBERNI, B.C., elementary school, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Oct 1949, 142)
TRAIL, B.C., arena, 1949 (C.R., lxii, July 1949, 136)
VERNON, B.C., elementary school, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Sept. 1949, 161)
LILLOOET, B.C., a new public school for S.D. 29, at Pavilion, B.C. (Vancouver News-Herald, 1 Sept. 1949, 15, t.c.)
PRINCE RUPERT, B.C., major additions to the Nurses Home, at the Prince Rupert Hospital, 1949-50 (Vancouver News-Herald, 25 Oct. 1949, 15, t.c.)
PENTICTON, B.C., Carmi Road Elementary School, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, May 1950, 138, t.c.; Vancouver News-Herald, 4 May 1950, 14, t.c.)
KELOWNA, B.C., City Hall, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, March 1950, 136)
PORT ALBERNI, B.C., high school, 1950 (C.R., lxiii, June 1950, 124)

McCARTER & NAIRNE ( Residential Works in Vancouver unless noted)

JERICHO LODGE APARTMENTS, Point Grey Road near Dunbar Street, 1922 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
DEVONSHIRE APARTMENTS, West Georgia Street at Hornby Street, a large 7 storey apartment block, 1923-24 (Vancouver Daily World, 12 Sept. 1923, 1, descrip.; and 4 Feb. 1924, 11, illus. & descrip.; Vancouver Sun, 24 Feb. 1924, 30, illus. & detailed descrip.; C.R., xxxvii, 10 Oct. 1923, 979, descrip.)
RENDORA APARTMENTS, West 12th Avenue at Hemlock Street, apartment block for J.J. McRae, 1923-24 (Vancouver Daily World, 28 Dec. 1923, 3, descrip.; and 3 Jan. 1924, 10, descrip.; City of Vancouver b.p. A 7152, 27 Dec. 1923)
WEST 12th AVENUE, at Oak Street, apartment block for an unnamed client, 1924 (Vancouver Daily World, 3 Jan. 1924, 10, descrip.)
WINSTON APARTMENTS, West 11th Avenue at Hemlock Street, a two storey apartment block with 16 units for William Manson, 1925 (Vancouver Sun, 15 Jan. 1925, 4, descrip.; City of Vancouver b.p. B 9922, 19 Jan. 1925)
CHATTERIS APARTMENTS, Nicola Street, 1924 (dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
KENMORE APARTMENTS, Gilford Street at Comox Street, 1925-26 (C.R., xxxix, 16 Dec. 1925, 47; dwgs. at Vancouver City Archives)
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., residence for George L. Cassady, Queen's Avenue, c. 1930 (J. D. Scott, The Heritage of New Westminster, 1985, 131, illus.)
ESQUIMALT, B.C., fifty houses for the Wartime Housing Commission, Colville Road, 1941-42 (C.R., liv, 5 Nov. 1941, 46)
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C., a tract of nearly fifty detached houses, for the Wartime Housing Commission, on sites from Second Street to Sixth Street, between St. George Street and Queensbury Street, 1941-42 (Nanaimo Free Press, 7 Oct. 1941, 4, illus. & descrip.)
KAMLOOPS, B.C., tract of houses for the Wartime Housing Commission, 1946 (C.R., lix, Nov. 1946, 106)
NEWTON WYND AVENUE, residence for F.R. Thurston, 1954 (J. Bond, University Endowment Lands Architecture 1940-1969, 1993, 37, illus. & descrip.)

COMPETITIONS

VANCOUVER, B.C., Civic Auditorium, 1954-55. The Vancouver firm of McCarter, Nairne and Partners were one of 67 firms who submitted a design in this national competition. Their entry, marked No. 252, was one of 11 designs given special Commendation, and later exhibited at the Vancouver Art Gallery (see the City of Vancouver document called A Competition for a Civic Auditorium for Vancouver: Report of the Board of Assessors, 1954, list of winners and finalists).