It is notable as the first enclosed shopping mall in the United States[3] and has been lauded as a fine example of commercial Greek Revival architecture.

Their design called for an arcaded lane of shops with skylights in the roof providing illumination, in emulation of similar structures then found in some European cities.

Construction of the mall roughly followed the original plan, but some hasty alterations were made to meet the need for a vestibule and stairway on the Weybosset Street side of the building to provide access to the third floor.

The stairs leading to the third level are somewhat crowded beneath the roofline, particularly on the Weybosset Street side, where the vestibule was a late addition occasioned by the decision to add a third floor.

The skylit roof extends the length of the building, its ridgeline aligned at the Westminster end with the top of the triangular pediment.

Emphasis in all of the building's construction was on the use of fireproof materials; granite, brick, and cast iron are all used, and the roof was made of tin.