American Cigar Building
Richmond, Va.
Barton & Associates

Loft living raised to new heights

© Bob Shimer / Hedrich Blessing

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As part of a mixed-use redevelopment project in downtown Richmond, Va., developer Forest City Ratner transformed a warehouse formerly occupied by the Phillip Morris tobacco company—and before that the American Cigar company—into 171 loft-style apartments. The overall redevelopment project, called The River Lofts at Tobacco Row, also included the transformation of the Consolidated & Carolina Buildings into 158 apartments.

The 200,000-square-foot Phillip Morris Building is shaped like the letter C. It contains an interior courtyard that centers on a 150-foot chimney, surrounded by a fountain, as well as 25,000 square feet of ground-level retail space. All of the apartments feature open, multi-level floor plans that accentuate and maintain the unique characteristics of the original warehouse, which is listed on the federal register of historic places.

The architects specified that the building’s interior, with its exposed heavy timber beams and 14-foot-high ceilings, be cleaned and restored to its natural red brick and honey-colored wood. They added a new palette of brick and tile, expressed in warm, inviting earth tones, with some “retro” metal finishes and accents for contrast. To heighten the loft aesthetic, all mechanical pipes and ductwork remain exposed. The apartments are flooded with light thanks to large, 7-by-10-foot arched windows. The building’s top floor features 18-foot-high ceilings. To maximize the use of this extra space, the architects designed two-level lofts.

Formal name of Project:
American Cigar Building at The River Lofts of Tobacco Row
(formerly the Philip Morris Building)

Location:
Richmond, Va.

Gross square footage:
206,800 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$32 Million

Owner:
Forest City Residential Group
Washington, D.C.

Architect:
Barton & Associates
700 East Main Street, 3rd Floor
Norristown, PA 19401-4122
610-930-2800 tel.
610-930-2808 fax
www.bartonpartners.com