Built from 1938-40, the
Art Deco style Model Tobacco Building is the primary six-story building of a six building collection of buildings comprising a former
tobacco factory. Located at 1100
Jefferson Davis Highway (
U.S. Route 1), in
Richmond, Virginia
(Thus do we reach the stars)
, image_map =
, mapsize = 250 px
, map_caption = Location within Virginia
, pushpin_map = Virginia#USA
, pushpin_label = Richmond
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, the building was designed by the
Chicago architecture firm of
Schmidt, Garden and Erikson and is known for the 9' tall Moderne MODEL TOBACCO letters which dominate the north end of the building.
It is one of many
Art Deco buildings in Richmond, including assorted buildings on Grace Street including the
Central National Bank building, the
Virginia Union Belgian Building, Medical College of Virginia's
West Hospital,
Henrico Theatre
The Henrico Theatre is an Art Deco-style building in Henrico County, Virginia that was built in 1938. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal gove ...
,
Thomas Jefferson High School (Richmond, Virginia)
Thomas Jefferson High School is historic high school in Richmond, Virginia. It is part of the Richmond Public Schools. The Art Deco building, constructed in 1929 and opened in 1930, has been listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places ...
, and Nolde Bakery, 306-308 North 26th Street, and the
Patrick Henry Building on 1111 E. Board Street built in 1938-40.
Currently the building houses approximately of used
cubicle partitions and other miscellaneous office furniture.
Future
A developer, Hunt Investments LLC, has proposed turning the property into over 600 apartments, with a projected cost of $84 million.
The development will offer an indoor pool, a fitness center, jogging trail, a childcare center, and individual security for each of the housing units. Over 600 apartments will be developed in a mix of both market rate and
workforce housing in three phases. Less than five minutes from the central downtown business district via a divided 4 lane highway, this historic Model Tobacco destination will become the flagship for renewal of the Jeff Davis Corridor. In 2020 the property was so
References
*''New life for old leaf site planned'', by MICHAEL MARTZ, The Richmond Times-Dispatch, January 23, 2008.
*''Architecture in Virginia'', by William B. O'Neal, Virginia Museum, Walker & Co., 1968.
*''Model Tobacco: Then and Now'', by Marion Andretski, The Richmond Times-Dispatch, September 30, 1998.
External links
PhotosRichmond Citywatch InfoArt Deco in America Survey
{{Coord, 37, 30, 17.20, N, 77, 26, 51.36, W, type:landmark_scale:2000, display=title
Art Deco architecture in Virginia
Tobacco buildings in the United States
Buildings and structures in Richmond, Virginia
Office buildings completed in 1940