The large brick building was erected in the form of a textile mill for present NC State University’s textile school, with brick walls, large arched windows, and heavy timber framing and plank floors. After most of the building was destroyed by fire on March 24, 1914, it was rebuilt immediately in the old walls; a central tower added during the rebuilding was later removed. Tompkins Hall was subsequently renovated in 1924 (supervised by Hobart Upjohn), in 1939 (under the direction of Ross Edward Shumaker) and in 1981.