The new Baroque-style building was built during British colonial times and was originally proposed by Sir Henry McCallum for the setting up of the Ceylon Legislative Council, which was approved by the government in 1920 to build new buildings on reclamation land at the northern end of Galleith, After completion, it is used for the secretariat, council chamber and government offices. Austin Woodson, chief architect of the Ceylon Department of Public Works, is responsible for the design of the building. His initial estimate for the plan was Rs 400,000, which was later revised to Rs 450,000 by the Advisory Committee on Public Works. Congress then moved to a special building in 1983. The building then became the seat of the Presidential Secretariat and houses the Presidential Office. The building and the former Assembly Hall (formerly the Assembly Hall) are the venue for many state events, where the President usually receives the notary credentials of the incoming ambassador and high commissioner.