Sixteen years later, AU is back where it all started

American Underground, Durham’s premier startup and coworking community, officially opened its newest location right here at American Tobacco Campus and it’s a homecoming sixteen years in the making.

AU first launched in 2010 in the basement of this very campus. Today, it returns with a 40,000-square-foot workspace spanning Bays 9 and 10 of the Washington Building, designed by Little and built by Consigli. The space features open coworking, private offices, a botanical library, a podcasting studio, meeting rooms, and flexible membership options — built for founders, creatives, remote workers, and makers alike.

With this opening, AU joins the restaurants, retailers, and neighbors that have defined ATC for more than two decades, deepening its ties to campus partners Fullsteam, Ment Beverage Co., and Boricua Soul.

“Having them back on campus is exactly the kind of element that makes ATC more than real estate,” said Eli Bell, Director of Leasing and Asset Management at CBC Real Estate. “The AU brings programming, energy, and connection that adds to and reinforces the larger community at ATC.”

A Grand Opening celebration takes place today (6/3/26) from 4:00–7:00pm. Regular community programming begins June 18th.

Read the full release at cbcrealestate.com