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For sale: Historic RJR headquarters

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Comments (9)

Monday, November 23, 2009

(Updated 7:40 am)

By
Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM (AP) — A headquarters of North Carolina's tobacco history is up for sale.

The Winston-Salem Journal reported today that Reynolds American Inc. has put its historic former headquarters on the market.

The building housed the headquarters of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. since it opened in 1929. The company recently finished consolidating its downtown Winston-Salem employees into a neighboring building.

The 22-story building was designed by the same firm that later did the Empire State Building and is reminiscent of that landmark, with four tiers topped by a flagpole. Winston-Salem's building was the tallest south of Baltimore when completed.

County tax records value the Reynolds Building at about $12 million.

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InventorNC

November 23, 2009 - 8:58 am EST

I know, I know, everyone knows what the building looks like. But I would still like to see it to be sure I am remembering the right building.

Will be nice to have this bit of history sold to someone who will preserve it. I enjoy visiting old buildings - the old churches in lower Manhattan, NYC, are a real treat. Old buildings and old canals - all fun to visit and research for their colorful history.

I fear that we are tearing down too many buildings that in fifty or 100 years our kids and grandkids will wish they could see. Example? There is only one Benjamin Franklin home in existence and it is not in Philadelphia. It is in London, UK. Yikes.

grossone

November 23, 2009 - 8:58 am EST

Me thinks RJR need to keep it and turn it into a lung cancer research center.

pragmatist

November 23, 2009 - 9:45 am EST

I'm sure someone will cough up the money for it.

GenghisKeef

November 23, 2009 - 10:23 am EST

They should have written 'preminiscent' since the RJR building was built before the Empire.

homescore

November 23, 2009 - 10:45 am EST

RJR has coughed up millions for cancer research, they pretty much built WFU Baptist Medical Center. It is a shame that the people who live in the Piedmont of North Carolina have forgotten that if it was not for R.J. Reynolds, Winston Salem, as we know it, would not exist today. It is sad to see the empire and legacy of a great man crumble the way that it has, and so many peoplein this region, who have reaped many fruits of his labors, would so quickly dismiss him.

It is very sad to see that building up for sale.

grossone

November 23, 2009 - 12:28 pm EST

Yep great man and great company. Built on cheap labor. Do you really think he loved his people????? Remember he left Tanglewood to the "white Folks". Honoring him would be like Honoring Hitler for the medical research he promoted.
Like most wealthy men that prosper on the backs of others he only did the good things to ease his mind.

shadow operator

November 23, 2009 - 2:22 pm EST

grossone your ignorance is evident. Your comparisons are as weak as your mind.

grossone

November 23, 2009 - 3:51 pm EST

Weak???? Remember Baptist Hospital ignored the facts about tobacco use and even promoted it just to keep the dollars flowing. RJR created just another Mill town or Coal town .