The Continental Bank Building is a thirteen-story reinforced concrete building faced with brick and stone. The narrow, vertical design combines a Second Renaissance Revival treatment of the bottom two floors with a strictly utilitarian treatment of the upper floors. The building is unaltered and its fabric is in excellent condition.

The building is important in the Downtown Salt Lake City streetscape but is most significant for its association with businessman James E. Cosgriff who had acquired several banks in the intermountain area before arriving in Salt Lake City in 1905. Here, he purchased the Commercial National Bank and consolidated all of his banks into the Continental National Bank and Trust Company.

Cosgriff maintained interests in the sheep and wool industry and contributed to the community and the Catholic Church in Utah through various philanthropic activities.

Source: NRHP nomination submitted in 1982