3rd Spaces

February 2026.

The 3rd Avenue and North High Street Historic District is the middle child of the three historic districts that make up the Short North’s commercial fabric. (The others are the 5th Avenue and North High Street Historic District to the north and the Short North Historic District to the south.) Its buildings date between circa 1890-1930, though many were altered later in life due to the widening of High Street.

The 3rd Avenue and North High Street Historic District is located in the Short North neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. It is bordered by 4th Avenue to the north, 2nd Avenue to the south, Courtland Avenue/Pearl Street to the east, and Wall Street to the west.

History

The Short North was annexed into Columbus in 1862. Most of the subdivisions that make up this stretch of High Street were platted in the late 19th century, when Columbus was rapidly expanding outside of downtown. However, this process was much slower than the residential areas of the Short North (present-day Victorian Village and Italian Village), due to the large houses nearby and NIMBYism from their affluent owners. Additionally, the Short North Historic District was closer to downtown and the 5th Avenue and North High Street Historic District was centered on 5th Avenue, meaning this area was sandwiched between the two and had less demand for development. In the end, streetcar service and the north side’s growth beginning in the early 20th century resulted in the development of this area. The vast majority of the existing historic buildings were constructed between 1900 and 1920. 

High Street became very congested with increasing automobile traffic in the early 20th century, also competing for space with the streetcars. In the end, it was widened by ten feet between 1915 and 1923, five feet to a side. As a result, many older buildings were either moved entirely, truncated slightly and had the facade itself moved, or simply had their facades rebuilt. This resulted in the largely homogenous Commercial style of the district--it is very unusual today for any historic district to have such stylistic cohesion. However, a few Italianate buildings remain. Development in the area slowed in the 1920s and stopped entirely in the 1930s.

A Thanksgiving parade in the 3rd & N High Historic District in 1966. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

The Short North experienced a decline seen most notably starting in the 1970s, though white flight and suburbanization had affected the area since after World War II. Businesses gradually departed beginning in the 1950s, and by the early 1970s, many Short North buildings were vacant and decaying by that time. What few businesses remained were dive bars. Crime was an issue in the area. Notably, the Short North Posse was a gang in the area stationed at 4th Street and 8th Avenue in Weinland Park, dominating from the late 1980s to early 1990s. Additionally, prostitution was centered on a stretch of the street between 1st Avenue and 3rd Avenue.

With German Village’s successful restoration starting in the 1960s, it inspired similar action in the Short North. Young professionals and artists started to move into the neighborhood with its cheap rent, investing into the neighborhood by restoring and renovating their houses, which by proxy resulted in their own gains from the reinvestment and not the earlier working-class residents. The Short North Business Association was founded in the early 1980s to draw commercial activity back to the district, and the first art gallery owners held their “cooperative opening” in 1984. This eventually led to the current Short North Gallery Hop, which received its name a year later. Much of High Street’s redevelopment began this decade.

The 3rd Avenue and North High Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. At that time, some of the buildings had been restored, but others still maintained earlier mid-century or Postmodern alterations. Later that decade, the Short North Special Improvement District was established by the city in 1999, and in 2002 reproductions of the original streetlight arches were installed. 

Photos

1128-1130 North High Street

This is a very simple Commercial style building with an entirely unornamented brick facade. Although it is not visible in my own photos, I’m willing to bet that the High Street facade was built when it was widened, and the rest of the building is older. The side walls use a lighter shade of brick and the parapet of the main facade is much higher than the actual roof. (However, I’ve seen this before on other buildings that were unaltered.)

Google Maps view of the building from the north.

Detail of the wooden storefront framing:

Modern Furniture Building (1126 North High Street)

This skinny Commercial building is pretty uninteresting, and its only memorable detail is the large glass prism transoms.

Pletcher Building (1124 North High Street)

Most recently home to Bristol Republic but now vacant, this building has some Arts & Crafts flair with its vaulted windows and clay tile roof.

Hughes Building (1104-1106 North High Street)

The contrasting vaulted windows and cornice on this c. 1905 Commercial building indicate Romanesque Revival influence. I think the storefronts are mid-century due to their aluminum window frames.

Standard Hall/Northside Branch Library (1100 North High Street)

The Cintas truck seen above blocked my entire view of the facade the first time around, so I had to come back and take a second picture later on. Anyways, what is now Standard Hall was built as the Brown Dyeing and Cleaning Company, with the Sanborn map noting that the exterior was clad in iron at the time. It was built circa 1920 and is one of the most decorated buildings on the street, with tons of Beaux-Arts ornamentation in terra-cotta. 

A sketch of the facade as the branch library. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

Although the NRHP listing labels it as the Northside Branch Library of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, it did not open inside this building until 1958. The branch itself was first located in the Borricklow Building at 944 North High Street (featured at the end of this article) beginning in 1940. The current Northside Branch Library is located further up High Street in the University District. Standard opened in 2016, and it is one of the most popular Short North bars with students.

Detail of the myriad classical ornamentation smeared across the facade, such as pilasters, an entablature, and the rounded tympanum above the window:

Entrance portal and awning (the brackets and ties are original but the awning itself isn’t):

Above the door is a more vibrant shield and two seashell medallions:

The edge is a bit unceremonious with the abrupt transition to brick:

I like the style of their sign, but I wish it was actually done in incandescent lights as the font would imply.

Its south side would have been hemmed in with buildings originally, but they have since been demolished, and it is used as patio space for the bar:

3rd Avenue Methodist Church (1066 North High Street)

The church’s previous home, built in 1869. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

Unlike the bars and fancy restaurants that line the streets of the Short North, this 1922 Gothic Revival church attempts to imbue moral virtue in the area. Whether it is successful or not, you tell me ;) It was the only church ever built on the High Street corridor of the Short North, as most others were located on quieter side streets. The building seems to be vacant today.

One of the large, English-inspired windows:

High Street facade:

The main body of the church has a one-story aisle with a parallel nave (which is perpendicular to the entrance):

Main entrance:

You can just make out the cornerstone hidden behind the signage:

The tower looms above:

The window here appears to depict the Three Magi:

It was nicely lit by the sun later in the afternoon, too.

Crown looking snazzy:

Front end of the offices/school/vestry/whatever:

From the north:

I found their sign warning cheapskates not to park in their lot to be humorous:

Bodega/Lake Motor Car Building (1044 North High Street)

This building was completed circa 1890, but the facade is very likely a reconstruction when High Street was widened. It was converted to an early automobile showroom around 1920. Although the High Street facade is mostly original, the north side has been clad in stucco.

Bodega is the one Short North place I have serious beef with. They took a reservation for like 7pm on my birthday when my girlfriend’s family was visiting to celebrate, but the place was packed with the bar crowd at that time and there wasn’t a server in sight. Later on, when visiting with some of the boys as a last hurrah before graduating and leaving Columbus for good, the Guinness they poured me was watery. I have never had one quite as bad as that since. Even Oldfield’s, of all places, gets it right.

Oddfellows/Dennison Hall (1038-1042 North High Street)

I have always marveled at the absolutely colossal third-floor windows of this circa 1890 Italianate. As indicated by said windows and the “IOOF” panel on the cornice, it was built to include a fraternal hall on the third floor. This is also one of the best-preserved buildings in the district, as it still has its original windows and storefronts. The carved hood molds are a highlight as well:

Double-height third floor window:

The others are smaller and have less intricate hood molds.

Center of the massive cornice:

Loving all the different textures and the depth achieved. This reminds me of the giant cornices in the North Columbus Commercial Historic District.

Oddfellows’ sign…guess where they get their name from:

There is also a very faint ghost sign on the south side, which appears to advertise a tailor:

I visited Oddfellows on the same trip that I mentioned earlier, where I had the poor Bodega drink. The interior had original tin ceiling tiles and crown molding, as well as a wooden bar:

Fireproof Apartments/Fireproof Warehouse & Storage (1026 North High Street)

A historic photo of the warehouse in 1915, prior to High Street’s widening. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

This structure was built as a warehouse in 1909 (another source says 1906), with “fireproof” construction of concrete, brick, and steel fire doors. The Fireproof Company existed prior in the downtown area, which moved goods by carriage, and later moved here. It was originally rented out for personal storage for items such as furs, rugs, and even pianos, and it had two separate sections, later joined by additions in 1913 and 1920. Its facade was truncated in June 1922 due to the widening of High Street, resulting in the current design with a white glazed terra-cotta base. During World War II, the warehouse was used as a Civil Defense Fallout Shelter due to its sturdy concrete construction.

Eventually, the Fireproof Warehouse was used for business storage, as larger personal storage units located in the suburbs became more common. It was used by the Fireproof Records Center for over 30 years. The company itself still exists, but their file management has been moved elsewhere. In 2014, it was adaptively reused for commercial and residential use.

The visible concrete framing on the side has been obscured and painted over, and there are now large glass curtain walls:

Detail of the ornate terra-cotta panels, with flowing leaf patterns and a central shield:

Another panel on the second floor:

I love the giant sign on the facade:

I got this photo at night as well:

Mural on the wall between it and Oddfellows to the north--note the visible concrete structure above:

Marnon Building (997-1001 North High Street)

This Beaux-Arts design has decorative lintels, a crowning cornice, and brick quoins and denticulation to add some classical flair. It was built circa 1905. Note the symmetry of the High Street facade:

Detail of the cornice and polychrome brick:

Amelite Tire Company Building (989-993 North High Street)

You could not ask for a better exemplar of the Commercial style than this circa 1925 building. Its form, decorative brickwork with stone accents, and stepped parapet are all extremely common features of the style. The large openings on the first floor were originally for cars to drive through for service.

Here is a detail of the brick:

Valentine Building (986-990 North High Street)

986-990 N High is at left.

This final stretch of buildings consists of a series of six. Each is articulated differently, with varying fenestration, brickwork, widths, and cornices. However, it is clear that they were built at the same time by the same builder, as they all share identical floor, storefront, and roof heights. 

Beginning with the first building at the corner of High and 2nd, it has a contrasting gray brick cornice and hood molds. It appears that the two corner buttresses once rose above the cornice line but were truncated at some point. Note how the fancy face brick of the High Street facade disappears on the 2nd Avenue side, and that the windows there are likewise simpler.

Some other features give away that these buildings were all built as a cohesive unit, such as the right end of the cornice having the same shade of brick as the walls of the neighboring building.

Campbell Building (978-982 North High Street)

This slightly smaller building has more obviously contrasting buff and red bricks, though the base has been painted gray and makes the top two floors appear to be floating.

Turner Building (972-976 North High Street)

This section uses both round and oval arched windows and has a central part of the cornice that rises above the other buildings.

Houston Building (968-970 North High Street)

I had to angle this around the truck parked in the median. 968-970 N High has ashen brick walls and a contrasting diamond pattern in the cornice. Look closely at the second floor’s windows and note their original muntin pattern.

The cornice’s brickwork:

Wegner Building (962-964 North High Street)

This portion of the block is certainly the busiest visually, with a lively cornice and different types of windows (including Chicago windows borrowed from Chicago School architecture). Its name comes from longtime tenant Wegner Coffee Company.

Voodoo Brewing Company/Bain Building (956-958 North High Street)

The southernmost section is by far the widest and is currently used as a bar. The wide expanse of rectangular windows and shallow cornice design is much different than the Romanesque Revival flair that its neighbors share, giving it a more Chicago School-like design.

Detail of the mosaic tile floor:

 

Receding corbels on the cornice:

Borricklow Building (944-946 North High Street)

This circa 1920 building is the southernmost in the district. It has some classical details like the columned portal in the middle and a rosette above.

Detail of the vaulted transom window above the stairs to the second floor:

The final historic district is the Short North Historic District. The gap between this district and that one is filled in with my second Short North article. 

Sources:

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71985188

https://www.arch2o.com/northside-library-nbbj/

https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/ohio/id/11497/

https://www.shortnorth.com/Fireproof.html

https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/ohio/id/13418/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn9UNZFc2_A

https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/ohio/id/14371/rec/57

https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/ohio/id/18878/rec/245