American Tobacco Adds Another Tenant

A fourth tenant has committed to lease space in the renovated American Tobacco Campus.

The American Tobacco Project made another stride forward last week when Capitol Broadcasting Company signed a fourth tenant to inhabit the campus upon completion.

McKinney & Silver, the largest advertising agency in the Triangle has committed to move its headquarters and 140 employees from the Fayetteville Street Mall in downtown Raleigh to the Reed Building on the AT campus in downtown Durham. McKinney & Silver will lease 35,000 square feet of the campus. The midsize company currently resides in the 15-story Corporate Plaza building, with offices scattered among five floors. Completion of the renovated area for McKinney & Silver is currently slated for spring 2004.

McKinney & Silver will be moving after 33 years in Raleigh. Its headquarters brings in $300 million per year in advertising billings. Brad Brinegar took over as CEO in February. McKinney & Silver represents such clients as Audi of America, Barcardi USA, Fieldcrest Cannon, Lands End and the Nasdaq stock market.

“Part of what attracts us to American Tobacco is the character of the old buildings,” said Brinegar. “It’s classic old warehouse space, which is traditionally where agencies tend to like to go. I don’t feel in any way that we’ve moved from Raleigh to Durham. I feel we’ve moved from one location to another in Raleigh-Durham.”

McKinney & Silver follows GlaxoSmithKline, Duke University and Compuware in reserving space in the campus.