Delaware Trust Building, Wilmington

Once a cornerstone of Wilmington’s financial district, the Delaware Trust Building-now known as The Residences at Rodney Square-stands as a prominent example of early 20th-century Classical Revival architecture. Commissioned by William and Alfred I. du Pont, the Delaware Trust Building was constructed in phases starting in 1919 as the bank’s headquarters. Designed by Dennison & Hirons, the original 13-story U-shaped structure opened in 1921, featuring a limestone base and buff brick façade. It was expanded in 1930 with two wings by Phillip T. Harris, and a five-story courtyard addition followed in 1938.

In the postwar period, the Delaware Trust Building entered its modernist chapter with the addition of the Hercules Tower between 1958 and 1960-a 22-story high-rise that briefly held the title of Delaware’s tallest building. Designed by W. Ellis Preston, the tower reflected the corporate power of its main tenant, Hercules Powder Company, and introduced a separate entrance at 910 Market Street. By the late 1990s, a fire on the upper floors caused severe damage and asbestos contamination, leaving the building mostly vacant and tied up in legal and financial disputes.

Following its sale in 2002, the building underwent a major transformation into residential apartments. The Hercules Tower was demolished to bring more natural light into the units, and the courtyard walls were reconstructed to complement the original architectural style. Renamed The Residences at Rodney Square, the building was formally recognized for its historic value with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Today, the Delaware Trust Building’s Market Street façade retains its striking Classical Revival character, marked by monumental arched entrances, rusticated limestone, pilasters, festoons, and arched 13th-floor windows. A dentiled cornice and detailed string courses accentuate the building’s height, preserving the grandeur of Wilmington’s early commercial era while supporting contemporary urban living.