The building dates back to 1906 when it was designed by architect William Henry Weeks. The building was originally named the T.A. Works Opera House and Theater Building. The building was previously identified as a serious fire risk because of its century old construction. The architecture left plenty of space for fire and heat to creep through walls, crawl spaces, and into the attic and basement. Alarms and sprinklers were not required in the creation of buildings built before fire safety ordinances were adopted.