CBC Officially Breaks Ground on American Tobacco

Capitol Broadcasting Company hit another milestone with the American Tobacco Project in downtown Durham with a ceremonial groundbreaking on Monday, June 16, 2003. Despite the gloomy weather, several officials involved in the project got on backhoes with CBC President & CEO Jim Goodmon and moved dirt to begin the next phase of the project.

CBC’s Jim Goodmon (right) recognized Paul Johnson of Compuware during the event.

Backhoes were used to ceremonial turn ground for the continuation of the American Tobacco project.

The crowd gathered at the American Tobacco site at 3pm for the gala. Four former employees of American Tobacco gathered with CBC Historian Kevin Bailey to kick off the event. Representatives from Durham and the companies who have already claimed space in the campus attended and spoke at the groundbreaking.

Representatives from Durham, CBC and the four anchor tenants head to the backhoes.

CBC Historian Kevin Bailey (right) recognized four former American Tobacco employees.

Duke University President Nan Keohane called the project a “catalyst for private investment” that will generate over 3,000 jobs in downtown Durham.

Several months prior, work began on renovations and cleanup of the site. Eventually the abandoned warehouses will become 1 million square feet of businesses, residences & restaurants.

Durham Mayor Bill Bell said, “This area will become Durham’s 24-7 destination.” The 16- acre property sits across Blackwell Street from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, another building project headed by CBC. The American Tobacco project has been hailed as the largest historical renovation in North Carolina history.

Duke’s Nan Keohane (left) & CBC’s Jim Goodmon break ground with backhoes.

A large crowd gathered for the official groundbreaking.

After the thank yous and speeches, Durham Mayor Bill Bell, Durham County Commission Chair Ellen Reckow, Brad Brennager of McKinney Silver, Bill Shore of GlaxoSmithKline, Paul Johnson of Compuware, Keohane & Goodmon donned hard hats and mounted backhoes to move dirt and the project forward.

CBC projects the first phase, on which construction has been underway for several months, will be ready for tenants by next summer.

Thanks to Corporate’s Angie Emerline for taking these capcom photos.