2001 Mount Vernon Avenue was originally a two-story mixed-use structure with small apartments occupying the second floor and a retail store occupying the ground floor. The interior and exterior of the building were in poor condition.

The corner location and the formal design elements of the 20th Century two-story mixed-use buildings were important elements in determining the final design. A horizontal steel canopy edge reinforces the division between the lower-level retail and the upper floor offices uses, and the simplified double-hung window forms, together with a cornice matching the original building, reference the vernacular of the commercial avenue.

A new exterior transparent stair enclosure identifies the access point of the upper office level. Illuminated at night, the stair is an eye-catching highly visible element on the avenue and also serves as an inviting street-oriented gallery.