Murchison Building

Murchison Building is an office structure with eleven stories of brick and marble construction at the corner of Front and Chestnut Streets, overlooking the Cape Fear waterfront. The building contains office spaces across all levels and houses numerous commercial tenants throughout its floors.

The structure was completed in 1914 under architect Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison's direction and was the city's tallest building at that time. This status as the highest building held until 2007 when the PPD headquarters was constructed.

The building displays Classical Revival features with symmetrical facade elements and traditional ornamental details typical of the early 1900s. Visitors can observe crafted details like sculptured capitals and marble accents that shape its appearance.

The building sits downtown and is easily reached on foot when exploring the neighborhood. The entrances are at street level and provide simple access to view the classic design elements and marble finishes in the entry hall.

The building retains one of its original Otis elevators with manual operation from its early days, showing mechanical engineering standards from the early 1900s. This working elevator offers visitors a rare look at transportation technology from that era.

Inception: 1914

Architects: Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison

Floors above the ground: 11

GPS coordinates: 34.23768,-77.94907

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:04