The Peyton is actually two buildings. The front portion facing Riverside, designed by Herman Preusse, was one of the largest buildings constructed after the 1889 fire. The original building burned in 1898, causing the deaths of eight people living in the upper-floor apartments. Colonel Issac N. Peyton bought the site and rebuilt using the remaining walls. In 1908, Peyton financed the addition of two stories and built the second building to the south, connecting all floors and linking the two with a common entry on Post Street.