The city’s original boundaries take in the southwest corner of the district, including N. Third and N. Fourth Streets between Spring and Naghten.

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church is built to serve the English-speaking Irish Catholics who were previously worshipping in the German-speaking Holy Cross on the South Side. The church is on Grant and Naghten, sometimes referred to as “Irish Broadway.” Naghten was named for Billy Naghten, first Irish president of the Columbus City Council.

By the outbreak of the Civil War, a manufacturing and warehouse area has developed along the railway north of the original business district. As the city’s economy and rail system grows, more people come to work in the district, and more housing is built.

The remaining portions of the district north of Naghten are annexed.

Civil War Era: The proximity of an army base gives the area a dual personality. While there are officers and families, debutante balls, curved roads for sleigh riding, and live concerts, there are also parts of Cleveland Ave. known as the “Badlands” for gambling houses, unlicensed alcohol sales, and even opium dens

The Schoedinger building is designed for the FOSCO sheet metal company.

Engine House #16 is built.

John Amicon, founder of the Amicon Company, a wholesale produce distributing company on Naghten and Third, helps law enforcement take down the Society of the Banana – a Marion-based group of Italian criminals who were responsible for extorting money from fellow immigrants all over Ohio.

226 N Fifth is constructed and occupied by Central Ohio Paper Company (1923-1927), Byers and Lake Auto Bodies (1932), Central Ohio Paper (1947- 1965), Copco Papers, Inc. (1971-1976), and various tenants from 2002-2014.

260 Naghten is built, next to another building to its west – both called the Neilston Warehouse. Baby Rice Pop Corn, Scioto Paper Company, and Old Trusty Dog Food are there during the ‘20s-‘30s, and City Ice and Fuel in ‘37-‘81. Triangle Grocers and the Creasey Company are there from the ‘40s-‘60s. Richards & Simmons Paper Products are in the current building from the early ‘70s-‘90s.

240 N Fifth is constructed and occupied by Massey Harris Co., an agricultural implements company, during the 1930s and 1940s; Central Ohio Paper Company during the 1950s; and several commercial occupants from 1992-2014.

214 Neilston is constructed and occupied by Truck Service Garage (1942-1947), Central Ohio Welding Sales Office (1952) Midland Development and Construction Company (1956), Plaskolite Inc. (1960-acryloc products), W & D Company Plastic Extruders (1965), and Hoggy’s Restaurant (2005-2014).

262 N Fifth is finished being constructed and occupied by Federal Cold Storage, Standard Brands, and City Ice and Fuel beginning in 1937 Browne Bros Equipment (1952-1956); Donnelley Financial (1992); and ICG Communications (2002-2014).

278 N Fifth is occupied by Hayes & Son, a rug weaver and cleaner (1921), and a cleaner and dryer (1927) until the current building is constructed. It’s then occupied by an oil equipment warehouse (early to mid-1950s) and Surface Combustion Corporation (1951).

231 N Fifth is constructed and occupied by American Electric until the early 1950s, Rogers Printing Company through the mid-1960s, Copco Outlet Store in the early 1970s, Paper Plus during the 1980s, Jeff Charles Design during the 1990s, and Cove Lounge in 2010.

251 Neilston is constructed and occupied by Central Package Company (1956-1965), Central Ohio Paper Company (1960-1981), National Rx (1985), Intermedia (2002), AFN Communications (2005-2014), and Citynet (2010-2014).

222 Neilston is constructed and occupied by Plaskolite Inc. (1956- 1960); O’Neil Awning & Tent (1971); Palmer Donovan Manufacturing (1976-1985); Escape Enterprises (1992-Current). At this time, Ohio leads the nation in the manufacturing of heating and cooling equipment, and Columbus is the center of production with five of the 25 largest firms in the city.

225 Neilston is constructed and used as a paper warehouse for the Central Ohio Paper Company.From 2010 until 2021, it is occupied by The Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics. The southern portion of the lot has been used for parking since the mid-2000s.

The district continues to thrive throughout the first half of the twentieth century. But as the railroads become less important to the city’s economy, warehousing and other transportation-related activity in the area begin to decline. The district is changed drastically by the 1970s-1980s.

The Italians lose their church, St Peter’s on Fifth, to a Wendy’s. The army base is closed by the government. The Schoedinger Company closes, and Ballet Met moves into the space. Columbus State and the Columbus College of Art and Design expand, and the Discovery District is formed. St Patrick’s manages to endure as an iconic feature of the district.

The Warehouse District becomes a primarily commercial neighborhood and is mostly occupied by office tenants. The Short North, to its north, begins a major revitalization.

Office tenants continue to occupy the Warehouse District. Development in The Arena District, directly to the west of the Warehouse District, begins.

Hackman Capital Partners, a real estate investment and operating company with ties to Columbus, turns its attention to Warehouse District and, through affiliated entities, begins to purchase most of its historic properties. It later begins to transform the buildings into modern commercial spaces.

The Warehouse District continues to attract new businesses as the area begins to emerge as a vibrant mixed-use urban hub, with restaurants, bars and breweries, luxury apartments and entertainment venues flocking to the area.  Downtown development, overall, continues its boon, with $1 billion in construction projects and $100 million in annual tax revenues from downtown businesses.