Goodbye to Brook Cove: Old tobacco stemmery is being demolished

(By Leslie Bray Evans, The Stokes News) - There’s a stirring at the R.J. Reynolds tobacco facility on Brook Cove Road these days. The old plant, which originally opened in 1959, was an active stemmery for nearly 40 years, with much coming and going amidst the 459 acres there.

But the activity these days is of a different nature. Rather than production, now there is demolition. In January 2010, work began to tear down much of the 326,000-square foot Brook Cove plant. The power plant that once served the bustling factory was torn down in December 2009.

RJR is contracting with D. H. Griffin on the demolition. All of the metals, such as copper and steel, will be recycled.

According to officials from RJR, the demolition should be finished by the end of August 2010. Many of the storage facilities will be left intact and will continue to be used.