King was born in Detroit in 1851, was educated in the city, and earned a BS degree from the University of Michigan in 1874.

[3][4] In 1910, King engaged architects Rogers and MacFarlane to design this building as their offices;[2] the structure was completed in 1911.

[5] In 1988 the Law Firm of Patterson, Phifer, and Phillips hired Frank Z. Martin to refurbish the building.

King and Company and Annis Furs were prominent commercial firms in the history of Detroit.

[4][5] The building exemplifies the Commercial style of architecture that was extensively used in the early twentieth century.