Designed by prominent architects for a leading politician, it gained national attention as an architectural masterpiece upon its completion.

Long home to the offices of manufacturing and transportation companies, it has been named a historic site.

Built primarily of stone and designed by the firm of Cudell and Richardson, the eight-story Perry–Payne Building possesses unusual fenestration: its seven-bay facade is composed largely of windows, while the sides are almost windowless.

[2] Its design represents a crucial technological juncture: the exterior is primarily traditional stonemasonry, but reduced stonework – and thus exceptionally large amounts of window area – are permitted by the use of structural iron inside the building.

[3] At the time of its completion, the building included a large and unique lightwell,[4] an interior court with a glass roof, which has since been covered with flooring.