Cigar Factory in downtown Charleston
Thursday, January 1, 2009 at 10:59PM 
This imposing 125 year old edifice is quietly sitting, waiting for it's exciting rebirth into city lofts, with offices, specialty retail, and restaurants on the ground level. I think it is a very viable project for lots of reasons. The first is the location. Even though it is at the northern end of "downtown" Charleston, it is quickly accessible from the Ravenel Bridge (where you can slip out and take a jog with a fabulous view) and I-26, just 5 minutes away. The plans for these Charleston condo's include a spiffy pool, a rooftop observation deck, with a vista of the Charleston harbor, and a restaurant by one of the top chefs in town. So it all looks quite "uptown" for this uptown-downtown jewel. The building used to be offices and small warehouses for some years before this refurbish. I even had my gourmet food import company there, so I have a special place in my heart for the old behemoth.
I'm sure these Charleston condos will have all the glitzy appliances, granite, generous bathtubs that are a must, but I believe that that the architectural features will be the star in it's crown. The towering ceilings, huge industrial windows, hardwood floors and brick walls should be nothing short of fabulous, if the spaces are as open and contemporary as I think they will be. It looks like there will be 54 units in this Charleston condominium development, including the fifth floor penthouses. I'm attaching a price sheet, but as always these days, it is probably not etched in stone.
These Charleston condominiums boast a wine cellar and tasting room, a walled garden with a pet path, and a fitness center. The spaces range from 868 sq ft to 2800 sq ft, 1BR,1BA to 3BR,2.5BA. All in all a very promising place to call home in this old cigar factory which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pros
Easy location for coming into town from over the bridge or I-26
Great spaces to work with
Nice amenities
Good sign that one of the city's best restaurants will be there
Cons
Neighborhood still in "transition", so not a good walking area
Construction has not started
Factsheet
Download a factsheet
Editor
Cigar sales Article in Dec 22 Post Courier
The developer behind the Cigar Factory's reinvention has picked a local firm to market the mixed-use property's shops and office space. Grubb&Ellis|Barkley Fraser will be responsible for leasing the 40,000 square feet of retail space and selling 25,000 square feet of offices. The landmark brick structure at East Bay and Columbus streets will eventually house 12 retail spaces ranging from 700 to 16,000 square feet. Already, the space is expected to host a cigar shop and an upscale restaurant run by chef Ken Vedrinski of Sienna and Trattoria Lucca fame.
The former cotton factory, which was built in 1881, is under construction to become a 66-unit condominium building. Simpson Organization Inc. of Atlanta took on the project shortly after it bought the building for about $20 million in mid-2007.