[4] Pei's slender design was greeted with enthusiasm in the local press, with one columnist writing "... we will be as proud of the American Life Insurance Building... as we are of Old Swedes Church and the other charming colonial structures in these parts.

"[5] Construction began in 1966 and was originally scheduled to be completed in 1968, but the project took much longer than anticipated due to labor shortages, weather, and Pei's exacting standards.

[7] It remained over half empty in the 1980s, with occupants reporting a variety of problems including faulty elevators, ineffective climate control, and leaks.

Unusually, the beams are oriented parallel to the longer side of the building, which was more challenging structurally but allowed the entirety of the interior and exterior to be free of columns.

[11] The north and south sides have full-width windows separated by concrete beams with recessed channels; a very similar design was later used by Pei's partner Henry N. Cobb on the five-sided Baltimore World Trade Center.