Clemson Design Center at the Cigar Factory

Originally built in 1881, The Cigar Factory is one of Charleston, South Carolina’s largest privately-owned properties at approximately 244,000 SF on 4.5 acres within the city’s landmark historic district. The building was purchased in 2014 by WECCO, a development company specializing in renovating historic properties in the Charleston market.

After completing the initial shell renovation that included site and utility work and environmental remediation, WECCO sought an architectural partner who could work with a wide range of tenants to conduct test fits and guide them through the upfit process. McMillan Pazdan Smith worked on over 39 tenant projects within the building, quickly becoming the preferred design firm due to our ability to meet a wide range scope of services, including Construction Documentation and FF&E, while successfully navigating the strict National Historic Register codes and local historic preservation guidelines.

As the developer’s preferred design partner, McMillan Pazdan Smith worked closely with Clemson University to provide a turnkey solution to its space needs in the Charleston market. The university’s Charleston-based programs in architecture, historic preservation, architecture and health, and landscape architecture were scattered across five locations in the city. By uniting them within a single 23,000 SF home in The Cigar Factory, our team was able to eliminate redundancies, create cost savings, and integrate the programs into a well-planned collaborative space.

The Clemson Design Center completed in Fall of 2016.