The Victorian Italianate W. T. Blackwell or “Bull Durham” Tobacco Building is one of oldest factory buildings in Durham. The ell-shaped portion along Blackwell Street and part of the building along Pettigrew Street were constructed in 1874. In 1878 the building became extended further down Pettigrew Street and on the western side making it U shaped. The building became O shaped in 1903 after the construction of the southern side. An interior unroofed courtyard later became a parking area. Genuine Durham Smoking Tobacco, popularly known as Bull Durham, became the largest selling smoking tobacco in the world. Few cities have architectural and historical buildings that compare with this treasure. The Blackwell Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

The Fowler Building anchors the south end of the complex. Built in 1939, its art deco modern style and its huge windows make it attractive as 21st Century office space. This photo was taken before the new parking deck was built on the west side of the courtyard.

The landmark smokestack and watertower now mark the site of concerts and other events in Durham's coolest gathering space in the courtyard of the ATC. A unique water feature uses chunks of old pavement to create rapids as the water flows past a green lawn between the factory buildings, now home to modern offices.

July, 2005: Restoration begins on the Blackwell Factory. A mid-century facade of corrugated metal is removed from the north and east sides of the building, revealing the original Italianate features including arched windows and a giant arched entrance into the courtyard.

Motricity becomes the latest tenant at American Tobacco, agreeing to lease the Hill Building at the northwest corner of the complex.

September, 2004: Two restaurant chains, the Mellow Mushroom Pizza and the Symposium Café announced that they will be opening facilities soon.

August, 2004: The courtyard of the complex is open! A meandering water course runs through the space and an open grassy area provides a green oasis and seating for concerts on the stage set up under the landmark Lucky Strike watertower. Landscapers have used chunks of the old conctrete pavement to create rocky rapids in the water, which cascades over a wall at the north end of the complex before it travels south past the lawn among walkways and bridges that connect the buildings.

June, 2004: Tenants are beginning to move into the first completely renovated buildings in the complex. The parking decks are complete and work continues to finish the courtyard. Under the 1939 Fowler Building, the courtyard has been excavated to create a well and open up the basement level.

March, 2004: Work continues on the new parking deck, which is being faced with decorative red brick to blend with the other buildings in the complex.

December 2003: The multi-story parking garage at the south west corner of the American Tobacco Campus is well under way.

September 2003: Part of Jackie Robinson Boulevard on the south side of the ATC complex is closed as renovation work continues on the Fowler Building.

July 2003: Work continues on the renovation of the American Tobacco Complex with replacement of windows in the massive Fowler Building, originally built in 1939. On the Carr Street side of the property, the southern-most sections of the Washington Buildings have been demolished in preparation for construction of a parking deck.

April 2003: Durham city and county officials approved spending $43 million to build three parking decks and other infrastructure in and around the American Tobacco Campus, according to the News & Observer..

McKinney & Silver, the Triangle's largest advertising agency, has agreed to lease 35,000 square feet in the American Tobacco Company buildings in downtown Durham. McKinney & Silver CEO Brad Brinegar wanted a site for the ad agency that would be attractive to the company's clients. "A place where clients want to fly down and meet with us ... that's what we're hoping to end up with," he said of the site. "Durham is a little funkier and a bit more in line with the character of our advertising agency." McKinney & Silver joins Duke University, GlaxoSmithKline and Compuware as pre-signed tenants for space in the complex.

The Durham City Council and Durham County Commission have agreed to continue public support of Capitol Broadcasting's renovation of the American Tobacco Campus. Involving nearly 1.5 million square feet of space, this renovation and adaptive reuse project is the largest historic preservation project in Durham, and is seen as key to the redevelopment of Downtown Durham. The American Tobacco Factory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The City Council would have to approve the site's designation as a local historic landmark. The project has already been approved for federal and state tax credits for its historic preservation efforts.

Site owner Capitol Broadcasting Co. had been promised at least $35 million in public money for the project, including parking and demolition of the DATA headquarters. Capitol Broadcasting plans to spend $145 million on the renovation.