Fifth Avenue and North High Historic District

This commercial district centers on North High Street at its Fifth Avenue crossing in Columbus. It holds 21 contributing and three noncontributing buildings, mostly brick structures of two or three stories built between 1888 and 1930. Streetcar service arrived in 1876 and was electrified in 1891, and the High Street viaducts of 1888 and 1894 encouraged growth. Shops served the surrounding neighborhoods, including a bank, groceries and a hardware store, with apartments on many upper floors. Widening of High Street between 1915 and 1923 forced some buildings to be moved back or given new facades, and many new buildings followed. Notable examples include the 1888 Bank Block, the only Romanesque Revival building in the Short North area, the 1917 Garden Theatre with Colonial Revival and Art Deco details, and a Prairie-influenced building at 1203 North High. Together the buildings form a cohesive, evenly set-back streetscape that reflects the commercial history and architecture of the area.