The HSBC Building was built in 1913 in a Neo-Classical style by the architectural firm Chambers & Fritchley. In 2007 and 2017, the building was carefully restored by Abha Narain Lambh Associates. The project involved the careful restoration of its basalt and limestone facades, night illumination, and restoration of its historic staircase, among other changes.
The Elphinstone Building is built in the Venetian Gothic style, popular in Mumbai during the late nineteenth century. The style originated in Venice, which was a great maritime and financial power in the Middle Ages, with influences from Byzantine and Islamic architecture. Its maritime origin is reflected in the mooring rope motif used in the decking balustrades.