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The Cigar Factory, home to Mercantile & Mash, The Cedar Room, and more, has been recognized as one of “Preservation's Best of 2015.” The designation is given by Preservation Action, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the National Trust Community Investment Corporation.
After sitting vacant for years, the Cigar Factory is now a mixed-use building featuring retail space, professional offices, culinary destinations, and event experiences.
“I am honored to receive the Preservation's Best of 2015 award on behalf of the Cigar Factory,” said William Cogswell, president of WECCO Development. “We are proud to create a destination and user experience where people can gather, work and enjoy excellent cuisine and retail at a project that preserves Charleston's rich history.”
On Wednesday, March 9th, Cogswell accepted the award at the annual National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week's Congressional Reception in Washington, D.C.
Here’s a bit of history provided by a press release from the company:
“Built in 1881, the Cigar Factory served as a textile factory, a cotton mill, and then a cigar factory over a period of more than 70 years. During the 1930s, the factory was the largest private employer in Charleston with 1,400 workers generating more than 400,000 cigars daily. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and Roi-Tan Investments, a group of local investors led by developers William Cogswell and Jay Weaver and Maryland-based real estate investment firm Federal Capital Partners purchased the Cigar Factory in 2014.”
