Built as a textile mill by the Charleston Manufacturing Company. The building stands as one of the few surviving large-scale industrial buildings from the Victorian era in Charleston. Sold to American Cigar Co, which merged with the American Tobacco Company in 1917. The building became known locally at the Cigar Factory. The Cigar Factory was named as the largest manufacturing plant in city of Charleston, employing 1,350 workers with a payroll of near $1,000,000. Work at the American Cigar Factory came to a halt when more than 1,100 workers walked out on strike. From the successful strike, the song 'we shall overcome' emerged as an anthem and rallying cry for labor and civil rights. Bought by Arthur Ravenel Jr. and turned into office space. He then sold the building three years later to Property-Business International, Inc. Placed on the national register of Historic Places. The Cigar Factory is significant as a largely intact example of a late nineteenth century industrial plant built in the Victorian commercial style. Click here to view the original nomination form. Hurricane Hugo hits South Carolina, causing over $7 billion in damage. The Cigar Factory survives the storm with limited damage. Johnson and Wales University moves in, occupying half of the buildings 204,000 square feet and became the buildings largest tenant. The Simpson Organization purchased the building and plans to renovate the building into urban lofts, office and retail space.

The materials, features and amenities described and depicted herein are based upon current development plans, which are subject to change without notice. Actual development may not be as currently proposed. No guarantee is made that the features, amenities and facilities depicted by artists' renderings, photography or otherwise described herein will be built or, if built, will be of the same type, size or nature as depicted or described. Information herein is believed accurate but is not warranted.