CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City Council has cleared the way for a plan to redevelop 10 acres of tobacco factories and warehouses downtown into an innovative new neighborhood and office development.
The council on Thursday approved rezoning the 9.94 acres of land owned by American Snuff Co., otherwise known as Conwood Company, from M-1 Light Industrial District to Central Business District (CBD). The property is on Commerce Street and includes parcels with former tobacco warehouses.
Video by Wesley Irvin
While speaking in favor of the rezoning last month, John Wilson, owner of Balanced View Limited, a consulting firm that specializes in international real estate and the regeneration of city centers, told the City Council that when you enter the warehouses in Clarksville, it’s like “stepping back in time.”
On Thursday, Clarksville Now took that step back in time to give the community a better idea of what the spaces have looked like over the years, dating back to 1897.
History of American Snuff in Clarksville
American Snuff Co. representative Jacob Lemmon told Clarksville Now the oldest warehouse off Commerce Street was developed between 1897 and 1911. Once the development was completed at the start of the 20th century, American Snuff kickstarted their dry snuff production in Clarksville, and they have been in business ever since.
“Dry snuff is essentially stems and a little bit of tobacco leaf, and you ground it up into small, fine particles,” Lemmon said. “It’s a very bitter product, however, it gets you a lot of nicotine.”
To turn tobacco leaves into snuff, the stems and tobacco leaf are sent through a dryer, then they are sent through a mill, which pulverizes the stems.
Lemmon said when they began operations in the early 1900s, dry snuff was most popular among women. This was before cigarettes became what they are today. “Women could take a snuff and put it their mouth and be discreet. They would get the nicotine they wanted, but they did not smoke the cigarettes in fear of giving them a bad image,” Lemmon said.
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American Snuff Co. added a second warehouse in the early 1960s, and each warehouse remained operational until 2011 when America Snuff moved their production line to 4583 Guthrie Hwy. in the Industrial Park. However, the snuff warehouse built in the 1960s has continued to serve as a backup factory in case of emergencies.
Lemmon said that as they prepare to sell the property, it’s a bittersweet moment, but they look forward to giving back to the Clarksville community. “This building has been here since the 1900s,” Lemmon said. “American Snuff has been a part of this building ever since. So, for us to be able to give something back to the city for them to develop … it’s an amazing experience to be a part of.”
Conceptual master plan uses
Wilson previously told the council the goal for the project is to achieve a “live-work-play” environment. This could include greenspace, parks, walkability, social and economic benefits, a mix of employment and additional housing, which all align with the Clarksville-Montgomery County Comprehensive Plan.
He added that it’s critical to preserve the historic legacy of the area while developing, and the initial designs include keeping the historic brick exteriors.
With their vision to create a green, walkable environment, they didn’t want to overload the streets with cars. “While it doesn’t look like there’s a lot of parking, we’ve actually hidden the parking underneath the buildings,” Wilson previously said.
With the Clarksville City Council unanimously voting to approve the rezoning, the next step is for the conceptual master plan to be completed to brief potential investors and developers. It’s also in place to keep a framework that addresses what the city wants, while working with the city.
The project is not expected to enter the market until the end of the year, according to Wilson.
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