The district is architecturally diverse, including single-family homes on small lots, rowhouses, smaller multiunit (two and three-family) houses, and larger apartment blocks.

The oldest building in the district is the Italianate Newton House on Elm Street, built c. 1877.

Also of interest are brick rowhouses lining part of Walnut Street, which date to the 1880s and have Queen Anne styling.

Density of housing soon increased, with the construction of the rowhouses on Walnut Street, and the first multistory apartment block in 1888.

Development intensified in the early 20th century, when some of the larger homes were demolished to facilitate construction of more apartment blocks.