A one-hundred-year-old institution, devoted to providing aid to Boston's needy, decided to enlarge their headquarters to remain in the heart of the Financial District. Architects renovated the building in 1887 and expanded it in 1916 and 1985. Uniting the main facades, they crowned the structure with a metal cornice and added a service tower containing stairs, elevator, and lobby at the east end. By regulating the articulation of fenestration and piers, they imparted a refined aspect to the whole.