The DuPont Building occupies the entire block bound by 10th, 11th, Orange, and Market streets, right where you're walking. It looks out over Rodney Square and greets the square with the quiet confidence of one of Wilmington's first high-rises. Built in phases, the original section was constructed in 1908 fronting Rodney Square and originally housed the offices of DuPont.
In 1913 the building was expanded into a "U" by adding wings along 10th and 11th streets, the DuPont Playhouse was added, and a portion of the 1908 section was converted into the Hotel du Pont. The Hotel du Pont is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The final addition came in 1923 when the Orange Street addition and an extra two floors brought the total to 13 floors and a height of 124 feet (38 m).
Until early 2015 the building served as DuPont’s headquarters; in December 2014 DuPont announced it would move and consolidate its corporate headquarters at nearby Chestnut Run Plaza, and The Chemours Company, which spun off from DuPont in 2015, was set to move into the DuPont Building. Picture Rodney Square spreading out before this block's broad, quiet facade.