Park Dinor
Also known as: Lawrence Park Dinor
Why it's listed
Assembled on a narrow lot on the south side of Main Street in Lawrence Park Township in 1948, the Park Dinor is a prefabricated stainless steel and porcelain diner made by the Paterson Vehicle Company of Paterson, New Jersey. Its counter, booths and curved porcelain panel ceiling with stainless steel ribs remain largely intact, and the ceramic tile walls and floor and the restrooms are original. A concrete block kitchen and back porch were added later, and a 384-square-foot cottage built the same year stands at the rear of the lot. The diner was built to serve workers who needed inexpensive, quick meals near the General Electric plant, which had drawn thousands of employees to the area. Its Silk City design, with mass production and low prices, makes it a representative example of a type of modern commercial building that has become increasingly rare. The nomination regards it as a well-preserved example of that type.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the diner is a distinctive example of mid-twentieth century commercial architecture, specifically a Silk City prefabricated diner. It states the building is well preserved, retains integrity of setting, design and materials, and represents a type of modern architecture that has become increasingly rare. It also notes that it has been a community-oriented eatery serving local workers since 1948.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000192, listed March 18, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4019 Main St., Erie, Lawrence Park Township |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | March 18, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000192 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1948 |
| Architect / builder | Paterson Vehicle Company, Paterson, NJ |
| Architectural style | Other: Diner (Silk City prefabricated stainless steel and porcelain diner) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In continuous operation since 1948 apart from brief periods during ownership changes; exterior color scheme completed in 1995. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lawrence Park Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.15042, -80.01410 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000192.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7137711
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.