Built in 1901, the factory building for the American Cigar Company housed the production of a major US cigar manufacturer and was one of several comparable factory buildings that made Trenton the hub of East Coast cigar production. This historic resource is now preserved and transformed into 64 market-rate apartment loft-style units. The 5′ x 8’ high windows were replaced with solid hardwood units to match the existing fenestration. Brick surfaces and the natural ash floor were exposed and refinished to their natural beauty. Other original elements of the building were kept but incorporated into modern functions of the building, such as the weighing station in the gym and service elevator that was turned into a dramatic portal into the lobby. The building is registered on the National Register of Historic Places, and the project received Historic Preservation Tax Credits.
Project Name
Chamber Lofts
Client
Ajax Management LLC
Location
Trenton, NJ
Scope
75,000 SF
Awards
- Urban Land Institute Jack Kemp Excellence in Affordable Workforce Housing Award Finalist