The building was designed to accommodate three large storefronts on the ground floor with associated second-story storerooms for each. The remainder of the second floor was originally designed as upscale professional office space for up to nine tenants. In practice, the nine offices were often joined into larger office suites, and were later converted into apartments. The upper three stories of the Cox Building were designed explicitly for use as a Masonic Temple, specifically for the York Rite "Knights Templar".〔