Downtown Nanaimo - also referred to as the Old City - is shaped like a half bowl. At the bottom of the bowl is the harbourfront, commercial district, and a lot of condos. Then there are about 18 city blocks of single family homes arranged on the slope of the bowl, overlooking downtown and the harbour.
It's a very convenient place to live, especially if you work downtown, or commute to Vancouver, or attend VIU, or don't want to pay for taxis back from events downtown! And of course, there are tons of beautiful old "character homes" built a century ago.
Condos & Townhomes in the Old City
You can see current listings below, or use this link to read more about the Old City below.
Old City Real Estate Profile
First, let's clarify that the Old City referred to on this page is not to be confused with the much smaller "Old City Quarter" centered on Fitzwilliam Street. I'm referring to the "Old City" region defined by VIREB (real estate board) which is bordered by the Millstream in the north, down Pine St. to where Fifth St. meets Old Victoria, then up to Milton St., down Milton to the water, and back up to the Millstream Estuary. (See map below)
There are about 800 single-family homes in this area, the majority of which might be called "character homes" by virtue of the architectural details which survive from construction in the 1890s-1940s. These include solid old-growth timber construction, craftsman front porches with chunky pillars and wide steps, stained glass windows, complex rooflines, original wood siding, etc.
One of the highlights of the Old City is Nob Hill, directly above the Victoria Crescent part of downtown (very close to everything). It's one of the city's original residential neighbourhoods, with stately character homes originally built for doctors and mine managers. It still showcases many fine examples of period architecture, often with peekaboo ocean views. Little old Nob Hill Park is a quiet place above the bustle, with a good playground and some views of the harbour.
The Old City, like much of central and south Nanaimo, still has more than its share of down-and-out, so it's not a neighbourhood for those who don't tolerate such things. But that is slowly changing. And for many of us, this is actually a very desirable place to live! It's "artsy" and very close to things like the celebrated "Superette" bodega and downtown bars and restaurants and shopping - not to mention the ocean.
Note: Even the most desirable neighbourhoods in the Old City can be just a block away from a less desirable area. I know the area well and would be happy to discuss it with you. Contact me.
Condos & Apartments in Downtown Nanaimo
Nearby Parks
Back to Nanaimo neighbourhoods