Designed by architect Hyman Witcover, the building was built between 1904 and 1905 and opened the following year.

[1] Following the building's demolition, the cornerstone for the city hall was laid on August 11, 1904 in a large ceremony.

[2] The architect behind the project was Hyman Witcover, who is notable for several other buildings in the area,[3] while construction was handled by the Savannah Contracting Company.

[7] The building, located across the street from the United States Customhouse,[8] is an example of Renaissance Revival architecture and featured an exterior of limestone and granite, capped by a copper dome.

[4] Initial plans called for four statues of chariots on the tops of the building's four corners, but financial limitations prevented this.