Most are large multi-story buildings of brick and stone construction, built as warehouses for the St. Louis garment district.

After World War II, the decline in domestic garment production and the preference for single-story industrial space led to many of the buildings being vacant or underused due to functional obsolescence.

The district includes: The area began to experience some redevelopment in the 1990s.

In 1998, the state of Missouri adopted a tax credit for the redevelopment of historic buildings, making large-scale renovation financially feasible.

Local and national developers have acquired many buildings along Washington Avenue and in other parts of downtown.