I think its the lack of lintels and stone jutouts on the corner that makes it look like a cinderblock finish as well as a lack of stone colour diversity - looks like a veneer - imo they should have mirrored the design entirely if they were going to try to replicate it right down to the size of the blocks - and to give it a faux weathered finish to match would have helped. I personally don't like how the first floor windows look like they were randomly cut into the stone - if you look at the windows in the middle floors they line up perfectly with where the stones terminate. Also the sense of symmetry is destroyed with the randomly sized windows on the first floor, and also the lack of the original window they were going to punch on the side making that wall appear odd.
We shall see how it weathers - it would be nice if they added some awnings to the first floor windows as well. Or at least something like what originally appeared - too much has changed from the initial render to know what their plans are. At least it shouldn't deteriorate like it did when it was stucco finish.
The middle is indeed original, although this building did get a cleanup a few years back. This would have been a classical styled building with decorative window shutters and 5 windows in the front - you often see this in century style buildings in the states.
Shutters can be seen here - although they only lasted in the first era of wraparound wooden awnings in the city:
I do love those old style sash windows though.
Let's compare their renders with what we have so far:
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