 The land for the site was acquired on April 19 , 1856 for $ 4 @,@ 400 and constructed in 1857 for a cost of $ 22 @,@ 135 @.@ 75 . Completed in 1858 from the design by Ammi B. Young , the Bristol Customshouse and Post Office is a two @-@ story rectangular Italian palazzo style brick building that rests upon a raised granite base . The building is about 46 feet ( 14 m ) by 32 feet ( 9 @.@ 8 m ) and is heated by steam . The front facade is made of deep red brick that has three large arched openings on both stories and a " greyish sandstone molding outlines the arches on both floors and caps the piers which separate the first @-@ floor arches and a decisive molding of the same material forms a belt between the two stories . " The archways protrude from the side of the building and the center archway serves as the first floor with the adjacent archways housing large windows that are barred with iron . As it typical of the style , the second floor is more elaborate with a shallow balcony of iron supported by iron brackets and the paneling of the upper facade is " understated , but the surmounting entablature is heavy and elaborately decorated . " The cornice as the visual top of the building and conceals the low hipped roof that is only visible from a distance . The sides and rear are similar to the front facade , but include blind recesses and the molding is of a browner sandstone . 
