The building was the first of its kind designed by Cleveland architect J. Milton Dyer for governmental purposes for a major U.S.

The body of U.S. Representative Louis Stokes lay in state in the rotunda for the public to pay their respects after his death in 2015.

[1] By the time of its construction, Dyer had undertaken several important building commissions in the Cleveland area and was known for his ornate but refined style of architecture.

[5] The building is located on the bluff that overlooks the North Coast Harbor district that abuts Lake Erie and the Port of Cleveland.

[1] However, the outside of the building has remained largely unchanged since 1916, save for normal repairs, refittings and the usual upkeep of the superstructure.