Finding an appropriate site and receiving acceptance from both governments proved to be difficult; one proposal to build the embassy in Rockcliffe Park, near the Canada Aviation Museum, was opposed[how?]

The new embassy is located on what used to be a small hill and parking lot on the western edge of the ByWard Market.

The building's design, by American architect David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, sought to reflect the close relationship of friendly neighbors, symbolizing a bridge.

[1] The embassy's interior, showcasing the art of 59 artists from the United States, is organized as two "bars" of office space, joined by an atrium in the center, visible as the tall structure seen from the outside.

The architect spoke about the challenge presented by the design project in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.

These complaints were aggravated after the September 11 attacks, when a number of roads around the embassy were blocked, congesting traffic and hurting businesses.