The Model Tobacco Factory Building was built in 1939 by Chicago Architects: Schmidt, Garden, & Erickson n 1941.  It was featured in the 1941 April issue of the Architectural Record.

Model Tobacco located the building in this location for its visibility from most locations of Richmond, you can see it from Libby Hill, and along now Richmond Highway as it was a primary thoroughfare. This also made the building a feature and they used it to advertise their product and brand with the 9’-6" and 7’-0" stainless steel sky signs.

There are 3 parts to this property.  Two of which are complete and 1 is a future phase. 

• 6-story factory building

• powerhouse

• tobacco warehouses

Not including the warehouse this first phase is approximately 300,000 sq ft.

This large site offered a more efficient process for processing tobacco.  From warehouses, the cured tobacco is taken to the factory building and housed on the top floor from the elevator that is at grade.  The elevator has been upgraded, in the same location and is used for accessible entry, and apartment loading at the south end of the building.

The Manufacturing process worked its way down the building back to the ground floor where the tobacco is packaged and loaded on either the train at the end of the building or on trucks to the loading docks.  Both now serve as outdoor spaces for tenants.  In the factory building, there are now 203 apartments with a mix of studios, ones, twos, and threes with a rooftop clubhouse space.

The powerhouse includes the pump room, and the engine room and the tall and most impressive space is the boiler room.  The chimney outside stands at 204 ft.  All of these spaces are tenant amenities that include a clubhouse, basketball and fitness, and a bouldering room