But chain-link fences, dirt plots and broken sidewalks are not the things that dream neighborhoods are made of. So at least a dozen public agencies, city departments and community groups are committed to bringing the area up to 21st-century standards. When Mr. Stanton took office six years ago, he made warehouse district revitalization a priority, attending events in the old facilities and promoting it in speeches.

The city has been upgrading infrastructure as part of the capital improvement program, Ms. Mackay said. Buchanan Street, nicknamed Lake Buchanan because it flooded during heavy rains, is now repaired. The city installed LED lighting, replaced sidewalks and added a bike lane.

In spite of the changes, “our goal is to keep this area gritty,” Ms. Mackay said. “It would have been far less costly to demolish all of these old buildings and start new. We want to keep the incredible fabric of the area as it has been for more than 100 years.”

The city has also made provisions to stimulate real estate development and economic growth. Developers wishing to remodel a warehouse or historic building can apply for local grants. By 2023, an extension to the city’s South Central Light Rail will link the district to downtown and beyond, Ms. Mackay said. And the Warehouse District Council, a coalition of local businesses and supporters, meets regularly to discuss ways to brand the neighborhood.

New housing will open in a couple of years. JMA Ventures, a real estate investment firm, will break ground this spring on a 276-unit apartment complex. The project will cost $60 million to $80 million and feature a rooftop pool and glass co-working spaces. Developers intend to incorporate recycled brick and wooden trusses to blend in with the historic surroundings, said Todd Chapman, the president and chief executive of JMA Ventures.

Supporters hope the nostalgic back story is attractive enough to lure many to live and work here.

In the first half of the 20th century, trains stopped at the warehouses to pick up and transport local produce. As trucks and freeways became more widespread, shipping routes were diverted into other communities. By the 1950s, the warehouses were obsolete.