The construction, however, was ill-timed: due to the Panic of 1873 the planned bank was never incorporated and the structure was used only as a general commercial building.

[3] The Negaunee State Bank quickly purchased the lot from the Mitchell estate and began construction on the current building on the same site in 1912.

[3] The bank hired D. Fred Charlton of Marquette to design the new building, and moved in when construction was complete.

[2] Following the failure of the Negaunee State Bank, the building housed a series of businesses, primarily insurance agencies and professionals, including lawyers, doctors and dentists.

The structure is framed of wood, with brick facing, siting atop a stone foundation.