As part of a major revitalization of downtown Durham, N.C., locally based Capitol Broadcasting Company decided to transform the American Tobacco Company's derelict 16-acre industrial plant, which symbolized the city for more than a century, into a lively and attractive mixed-use development.
![]() |
PHOTO: CAPITOL BROADCASTING COMPANY |
Although tearing down and rebuilding the property would have made more economic sense, the greater goal of building up downtown Durham and preserving history prevailed. Consequently, the city's largest ever historic preservation project got under way with a major environmental cleanup of the area.
Now, instead of blight, the bright new development features residential, office, restaurant, entertainment, and retail.
To preserve the historic nature of the original American Tobacco plant, only building materials that were available during the plant's lifetime (1874-1987) were used. Where new concrete had to be poured next to existing concrete, it was stressed and stained to match. Similarly, specialty brick masons were brought in to reconstruct old brickwork and craft new brick elements with the same designs and patterns found in the original buildings.
![]() |
PHOTO: BOB HUGHES PHOTOGRAPHY |
One welcome feature is the incorporation of water throughout the project. Working with water feature consultant W.P. Law Inc., the Building Team, led by Atlanta architecture firm Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates, designed a scenic river, starting at the north end of the site and running south along the old loading docks and train tracks. Toward the center of the campus, the river splits into a beautiful, multi-level pool as it runs through a sprawling, green park.
Ultimately, the waters descend into the Fowler Courtyard via a refreshing waterfall, varying in height from three feet to 15 feet. A hidden reservoir then utilizes three 75-hp pumps to send water a quarter mile upstream, back to its headwaters.
Only trees and plants common to the community during the tobacco plant's operation were chosen for the landscaping. So as not to obstruct the project's architectural and scenic features, fewer and larger trees were selected.
![]() |
Water features are significant additions to the American Tobacco Company’s grounds. The river runs along the lawn and under a bridge, past “ruins” constructed of old concrete slabs (left). The river terminates at the Fowler Courtyard, where it’s pumped back upstream to its headwaters. PHOTO: JEAN C. ALDY |
Another nature-friendly feature involved converting the old railroad tracks into bike trails for a “Rails to Trails” program.
Project guidelines stipulated that new buildings on the site had to conform to façade guidelines and could not obstruct views of the old buildings. The original water tower was preserved, while an amphitheater and stage were built below.
Local artists were commissioned to design art sculptures utilizing reclaimed machinery and materials from the old plant.
As is the case in many historic projects, no construction documents were found, so structural engineers from Morrison Engineers were on site to document existing structural conditions during demolition and reinforce structures as needed.
On the mechanical side, mechanical engineer Stantec Consulting largely kept the original plant's exposed mechanical and plumbing systems. The Building Team also went back in time to find ways to cool the buildings, utilizing the facility's extraordinarily thick walls and full basements to retain coolness.
At 1.5 million sf, the American Tobacco Project ranks as the largest redevelopment of a tobacco mill in North Carolina.
“It's a fantastic intervention in a decaying urban community,” said BD+C Renovation Awards judge Robert L. Selby, FAIA, Associate Director for Graduate Studies at the University of Illinois School of Architecture.
Related Stories
Cultural Facilities | Feb 5, 2015
5 developments selected as 'best in urban placemaking'
Falls Park on the Reedy in Greenville, S.C., and the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Downtown Market are among the finalists for the 2015 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence.
Cultural Facilities | Jan 27, 2015
Henning Larsen designs an opera house that slopes above a lake in China
Henning Larsen, the firm behind the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen, releases plans of a latticed opera house on a lake.
| Jan 19, 2015
HAO unveils designs for a 3D movie museum in China
New York-based HAO has released designs for the proposed Bolong 3D Movie Museum & Mediatek in Tianjin.
| Jan 13, 2015
Steven Holl unveils design for $450 million redevelopment of Houston's Museum of Fine Arts
Holl designed the campus’ north side to be a pedestrian-centered cultural hub on a lively landscape with ample underground parking.
| Jan 7, 2015
University of Chicago releases proposed sites for Obama library bid
There are two proposed sites for the plan, both owned by the Chicago Park District in Chicago’s South Side, near the university’s campus in Hyde Park, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
| Jan 7, 2015
4 audacious projects that could transform Houston
Converting the Astrodome to an urban farm and public park is one of the proposals on the table in Houston, according to news site Houston CultureMap.
| Jan 6, 2015
Snøhetta unveils design proposal of the Barack Obama Presidential Center Library for the University of Hawaii
The plan by Snøhetta and WCIT Architecture features a building that appears square from the outside, but opens at one corner into a rounded courtyard with a pool, Dezeen reports.
| Jan 2, 2015
Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014
Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.
| Dec 29, 2014
'Russian nesting doll' design provides unique fire protection solution for movie negatives
A major movie studio needed a new vault to protect its irreplaceable negatives for films released after 1982. SmithGroupJJR came up with a box-in-a-box design solution. It was named a Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 28, 2014
Robots, drones, and printed buildings: The promise of automated construction
Building Teams across the globe are employing advanced robotics to simplify what is inherently a complex, messy process—construction.