It was built to serve as the meeting place for the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

[3] The Scottish Rite Temple was inspired by Ancient Egyptian architectural forms, although combined in a unique way.

[4] The building facades on the east and north sides are in the form of Egyptian pylons.

An ancient Egyptian pylon was made up of two battered (tapered) monumental towers, each topped by a cornice, and joined together by a less elevated section containing a central gateway leading into a temple.

The south facade of the Scottish Rite Temple abuts the adjacent property.