It was scheduled to be completed in 1916, but the Augusta Fire of 1916 forced crews to demolish the building and restart.

In July 2011, the architectural critic James Howard Kunstler labeled it his "Eyesore of the Month", saying the addition is reminiscent of a Darth Vader helmet.

Fire insurance maps indicate a height of 165' (50 m) to the top of the roof at the 16th floor, just beneath the penthouse addition.

After sitting vacant for many years, the building was sold in June 2021 to Albany, Georgia-based developer Pace Burt.

Burt, who has worked on multiple other historic renovation projects in the Southeast, has released plans for the building to be converted into a high-end, multi-family development with under 70 units.