Seven stories of reinforced concrete rose at 133 Fayetteville Street in 1907 as the Masonic Temple Building. This seven-story building was constructed in 1907 by the Grand Lodge of North Carolina as the state's first reinforced concrete skyscraper, a milestone that spoke to Raleigh's growth in the early 20th century and the rising influence of the Masons. Look at the base: the first three floors are sheathed in Indiana limestone; above, light brick ornamented with terra cotta rises in a conservative, classic tri-partite composition developed from Louis Sullivan’s skyscraper ideas.
South Carolina architect Charles McMillan designed it, and Carolina Construction Co. built the structure, which was praised at the time for its innovative use of reinforced concrete, then a new concept in building materials. The building’s civic and architectural importance was later recognized when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and is a Raleigh Historic Landmark. It is one of two Raleigh Masonic Temple Buildings on the National Register—the other is on Blount Street and was also built in 1907.
The limestone base and terra-cotta ornament above read together, materials your eye can compare floor by floor.