167 windows, 13-foot ceilings: A closer look at the Ybor cigar factory to be converted to apartments

 

(bizjournals.com) The asbestos siding that covers the exterior of the old Oliva Tobacco Co. building in Ybor City disguises the property’s potential — it’s covering up 167 windows — but it’s also done a good job of preserving the property.
... Built in 1900, Shaw said the former factory is one of the oldest wooden structures in Florida. Historic rehabilitation and adaptive reuse projects are more expensive than new construction, because of the nature of the work, and costs can shift as construction progresses and more is revealed about the state of the building. Continued

Photo: Oliva Tobacco