This paper presents a comprehensive review of the seismic analysis methodology used for the design of a 15-storey building, located in Mexico City and built in 1950. As the case of study is a valuable example of the application of pioneer concepts of structural dynamics to the design of the first tall buildings in Mexico, the aim is to contribute to the history of earthquake engineering. Besides, the building under study is part of UNESCO’s World Heritage. Therefore, the recognition of the unusual and advanced for its time seismic analysis enhances its inherent engineering value. The original hand calculations, based on theory of seismic wave transmission in structures, are reproduced by using a MATLAB script. This allows for a discussion on the original results and the exploration of additional analysis scenarios, beyond simple description. It is shown that, according to the design assumptions, the magnitude of the design story shears was overestimated in the original analysis.