Projects & Construction:
I want to thank the photographers and local businesses, sharing updates on projects, who make this thread possible. Without you, these updates won't happen.
So many new projects in today's update! A 12-storey hotel and residences... three more apartment buildings... senior housing... townhouses... a new office building... and a new downtown grocery store... all of these are new proposals for downtown Winston-Salem's IQ District in today's update!
Yes, this is one of the South's Top-10 Cities on the Rise! Winston-Salem is also one of the country’s top metros for positive growth in attracting talent!
• Video Link
Bailey South: Built! 
This project was completed a few weeks ago, but I wanted to share the upfit at SixHundred° restaurant. Tenants are still upfitting their spaces in the completed building. I won't show all of them, but will show those I think people reading this thread will be interested in.
This is a firewood storage area at the entrance to this restaurant:
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
A bench for Bailey South:
Credit: rutznick
351 North Patterson:
The next high-rise project for downtown Winston-Salem will be a hotel and residential development at 351 North Patterson Avenue. It's located at the corner of Fourth Street and Patterson Avenue, across from Bailey Park in downtown's IQ District. The 12-storey building will have a 5-storey podium with two floors of parking, street-level retail fronting Bailey Park, and a hotel. A 7-storey residential tower will rise above the podium. The top of the podium will have an outdoor pool and amenities. Front Street Capital will be the developer and STITCH Design Shop is the architect. It is likely they will go with Landmark Builders as the GC, though that hasn't been announced at this time. I have seen a rendering, but was told by someone else it is still in design and could see a few changes. We could have the final rendering and an official announcement later this Spring.
Liberty Park:
A better look at the stairs, ramps, and tree locations in the new park:
Credit: Gensler
Merschel Park:
The out-of-state developer has an agreement with the City and will start work this Spring on Merschel Park. Completion is set for March 2022.
Credit: winstonwatchman
Morris Building:
There is talk that Keith Durst is involved in this project? It is currently on hold and may not start construction until next year?
Credit: jkwiththeak.ig
Mayfair @ Liberty:
It's now officially announced. The project has reduced the number of apartments to 134 (a reduction of 25 units), but has added a conference / events center. An unusual use in an apartment building, but it is an apartment building surrounded by hotels and opening to two sizable proposed park spaces. The apartments will have an entrance on Fourth Street (Restaurant Row) and the conference center will have an entrance on Third Street. The building will rise 8-9 floors above Third Street. It's also expected to have retail/restaurant space. Construction will start next month, but could be delayed until May. Completion is set for Spring 2023.
Credit: TBJ
Kaleideum Science Museum:
This project will restart construction in Summer 2021, with completion set for Spring 2023.
In this photograph, the grey gavel lot will become Liberty Park, the dirt lot will become Kaleideum, and the grass lot will become Mayfair @ Liberty Apartments:
X image removed
DWSP has already installed signage for a museum that won't open until 2023:
Credit: winstonwatchman
Credit: winstonwatchman
8 West Third Street:
The current developer is unable to renovate this building and it is now for sale. So, if you're an apartment developer or hotel developer interested in converting this old office building to a new use, make an offer for it. It is being sold with parking in the deck across the street, so it does have parking. I think it's perfect for residential conversion. It is the oldest steel-frame skyscraper in the state of North Carolina, it was the state's tallest building at one time, and is one of the few remaining sizable historic buildings waiting for adaptive-reuse.
This was taken around the time Winston-Salem had freezing rain, last month:
Credit: ninakudlak
Credit: piedmonttriadliving
New Headquarters:
Fabworx announced they will open their North American headquarters here. No incentives are involved. They expect to double their total number of employees in a few months.
Roar:
The weather, permitting issues, and a few small changes, have delayed construction by 4-8 weeks. Completion for the second of three floors is set for June 1, 2021. This is the floor with the food hall, 30 beer taps, a live music stage, bank branch, and Italian restaurant with a 30 foot / 9.15 metre by 56 foot / 17 metre beer garden / outdoor space, with black-power-coated aluminum railings. The third floor won't open until July 1, 2021. The third floor has a 10-lane bowling alley, 6 sports simulators, and a 1920s themed restaurant with rooftop bar above, on the new fourth floor. To construct the fourth floor, a mechanical penthouse will be expanded, adding eight feet (2.45 metres) in height to the structure and expanding it northward. The outdoor part of the rooftop bar will be a steel-framed deck with composite flooring and black aluminum railings. The exterior of the fourth floor expansion and height increase will be designed to match the building's current exterior and angled on the north end to reduce visibility from the sidewalk. Original skylights for the Ford Assembly Plant floor will remain closed, due to the rooftop bar constructed over them. Look for all of the roll-up doors to be replaced with traditional storefronts. Workers will restore the original Ford Assembly Plant conveyor belt and pulleys from 1926. The car elevator will be replaced with two new elevators. A four-storey stair atrium is now confirmed. Interestingly, the developer said the bank won't occupy the lower level (first floor), but instead will fill the smaller corner space on the second floor at Seventh and Liberty streets, next to the Italian restaurant. Both the first and second floors have sidewalk-level entrances. This is good news, since it leaves the first floor open for an events center (to open in Fall 2021) instead of becoming 8-5 office space. We now have renderings of this event space (see below). The bank wants the interior of their office space to match the 1920s exterior of the former Ford Assembly Plant. They will restore the original storefront windows, including the transom windows and original black marble below the windows, along with all marble. Workers will attempt to restore the ground floor of the east facade, but not the windows on the upper floors of the east facade. Look for the electric signs on the western end of the building to be removed. They will also remove the original radiators. This building appeared in Bisnow, with a description of what the developer plans for the restaurant and bowling alley to look like. According to Bisnow, this Winston-Salem speak-easy-themed restaurant will look like a 1920s clothing store and tailor shop on the outside and customers will enter through a back door. The developer continues to make changes as work continues. If you're concerned about parking, the developer secured a deal for valet parking. Interestingly, this building is large enough for 1,800 people. Wow! It's expected to become a regional attraction, attracting visitors from up to 50 miles / 80 kilometres from downtown. There is some reporting that Phoenix-based 33 Degrees, a division of Hotel Equities, will manage this, but I guess we shall see. They are seeking landmark status for this project. The TBJ also wrote on this project and is worth reading.
I think this is the bank office:
Credit: TBJ
Credit: TBJ
Restoration of the original storefront windows:
Credit: City of Winston-Salem
Credit: TBJ
Credit: TBJ
Credit: TBJ
The car will have period-styled mannequins and visitors can take a photograph in the car:
Credit: TBJ
Credit: TBJ
Credit: TBJ
A look inside the stair atrium:
Credit: VisionByMone
Renderings for the first floor conference center / ballroom, to open in Fall 2021:
Credit: roar.ws
Ambulatory Surgical Center:
This site is being shown as the site for an endoscopy center. There could be some movement at this site! We'll see what happens.
Railroad Building Restoration: Built!
This project is now completed after major structural work on the wood-framing.
Cloverdale Redevelopment:
This new luxury apartment project is still in the demolition phase.
An old boiler:
Credit: winston_360
Herbalife Office Space Expansion:
I'm guessing they are moving more of their headquarters employees from California to Winston-Salem? This company will double the size of their office space and build additional meeting space on the first floor.
1829 Middleton House Restoration & Expansion:
Wilson-Covington Construction will restore this 192 year old house and build a major expansion on the side.
Credit: wilsoncovington
Grand Pavillion Ballroom:
This project will have a new Benton Convention Center-themed name, as the City takes over the space and renovates it.
The O'Hanlon:
I think it was Preservation N.C., that said this was the tallest building in North Carolina in 1915? The ground floor restaurant space is currently being restored to its 1915 appearance. There is talk a tapas restaurant will move-in to the corner space?
Interior Work:
Credit: shotsbyethanr
These 1987 murals from the former Arby's Restaurant were uncovered while workers restored the corner retail space:
Credit: Kay Rogers
Notice the building's original ceiling details, hidden for decades!
Credit: Kay Rogers
It was awesome of Arby's to have murals like these in their downtown restaurant in 1987:
Credit: Kay Rogers
624 North Trade:
Work will restart after a retail tenant is secured for the project. No new construction is expected, just restoration of the existing buildings.
Shallow Ford Historic Site:
North Carolina House Bill 242 will provide $1.8 million for this project. They expect to open the new park to the public in Spring 2022. This is where Lord Charles Cornwallis led British troops across the Yadkin River in February 1781 and it was also part of Great Philadelphia Wagon Road.
Winston Junction:
This downtown retail/restaurant building still has 7,800 square-feet available for lease and a pad that will allow them to expand the building by 50%.
Ardagh Group Can Factory:
A building that was once the world's largest brewery is currently seeing renovations that will transform it into a massive aluminum can factory, to fill a major national can shortage. Ardagh Group S.A., of Luxembourg is starting work, right now, to strengthen the floor and begin conversion of this former beer brewery into a can factory. This project will be built in phases and each phase is valued in the millions. I don't know if we will have many photographs of the progress, but this appears to be an awesome project. The old brewery was once a big tourist attraction for Winston-Salem, with a Bavarian-themed beer tasting room, tours, and gift shop. There are still postcards around. The brewery sponsored many major downtown music and arts events. Conversion of the building is complicated by massive tanks and other items that are difficult to remove. I think there is another tenant currently in the complex?
Forsyth County Courthouse:
Construction has started, but there is not much to report right now. They cleared the site and are moving dirt around... digging a big trench.
It will rise on the left half of this photograph and block the view of the domed skyscraper from this popular bike path:
Credit: larryhallphotography
Another view from Long Branch Trail bike and walking path (It will block the view of the parking deck when completed):
Credit: mr_tony_goebel
A view looking down on the site (Friday 3/12):
Credit: TrueLook
Salem Montessori School Second Location:
The downtown building at 390 South Liberty Street will become Salem Montessori School. This will become the school's second downtown location, as they continue with rapid growth. The school will have access to additional outdoor space behind the recently restored Railroad Building, which is now shown as completed in today's update. No details on who will work on this adaptive-reuse project, at this time. The school would like to move into this building at the end of August. It's great to see the growth in families living downtown.
Washington Park Renovation:
Central Builders was selected as the General Contractor for this project. Look for a new entrance to be constructed, as part of this project.
Metropolitan Mixed-use:
This is a new mixed-use project containing office space, two pocket parks, townhouses, and two apartment buildings with ground floor retail and it's within easy walking distance of mass-transit and jobs in downtown's IQ District. It will replace several smaller mid-century residential buildings and nearly triple the number of residential units at the three block site. The two blocks on the north side of Fourth Street at Highland will have 4-5 storey apartment buildings and the large block to the south of Fourth Street will have an office building, townhouses, and the two pocket parks. The development will have electric vehicle charging stations, bike stations, and I think it will have co-working space for residents. Liberty Atlantic Group is the developer and dwell design studio is the architect. This development is shown as part of NC Tech Road, I guess due to downtown's IQ District, and they may have worked with the developers? I do have renderings. These are for both workers in downtown's IQ District and college students at both Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University. They will have short-term leases for college students.
The office building, designed to be around the same height as the apartment buildings:
Credit: dwell design studio
Credit: dwell design studio
This is the western apartment building, showing storefronts on Fifth Street:
Credit: dwell design studio
Credit: dwell design studio
Credit: dwell design studio
Depot District:
An agreement was just signed with the NCRR and NCDOT to begin work on final plans for this new train station. As was previously reported, this project is fully funded by the federal goverment. One of the biggest projects they will work on is straightening a bent rail line to the new train station. This project also includes streetscape work to improve the roads and sidewalks around the new train station. Permits are already approved and completion is set for 2026. This project is expected to generate new development for the Depot District project, including new restaurants, bars, office space, and apartments. This is one of the most exciting projects we are following! And yes, the train station is inside the Depot District project.
Kernersville Medical Center Expansion:
Are you ready for more health care jobs in the Winston-Salem Metro Area? Novant Health filed a Certificate of Need to expand Forsyth County's third largest hospital. They want to add a fourth floor to the existing building, with catheterization lab and 13 new beds, at a cost of $50 million. They also want to add a maternity center. The application is in response to population growth, the rapid growth in new houses, and economic development plans. The state will make a decision by late-Summer and the expansion could be completed by 2024. While we don't know the General Contractor at this time, we do know the architect is McCulloch England Associates.
A rendering of the new fourth floor proposed for the existing hospital:
Credit: McCulloch England Associates
Bowman Gray Stadium Renovation:
The new drainage system is now in place.
475 Enterprise:
Upland Development Company is preparing to start work on a 110,000 square foot spec building. They are already in talks with a potential tenant. Landmark Builders will be the general contractor.
Robert Hall Hotel and Conference Center:
The developer is trying to decide if they will go with a one-of-a-kind restaurant or a high-end kitchen for pop-ups and visiting chefs.
Credit: roberthallws
Credit: roberthallws
A look at work on the hotel floors:
Credit: roberthallws
Another Link Apartments Building?:
Could downtown Winston-Salem's IQ District see another massive Link Apartments building? There is talk Grubb Properties could build another large apartment building on Research Parkway, to the east of the new Forsyth County Courthouse construction site. This new apartment building will front a bike and walking path. Two or three weeks ago, an official site plan also showed a massive apartment building on that triangular site. Just as they did at Fifth and Patterson, this apartment building will be used to hide a massive parking deck for a science research center. It's believed Wexford Science & Technology will be the developer for the science research center and they will construct the parking deck for their research center and lease the land around it to an apartment developer, believed to be Grubb Properties, to hide the ugly parking deck. We'll see what happens. Grubb Properties is very excited about working on new developments in downtown Winston-Salem, since it is their most successful apartment market.
Nationwide Marketing Headquarters:
Nationwide Marketing has officially signed a lease for this property. It's a ten-year lease with two five-year renewals and a right to purchase the property. They will start on the retail space when they find a tenant. I did notice workers at the site a few days ago, so it's still under construction. I'm guessing it will be completed at the end of May?
Working on the front windows last week:
Credit: TrueLook
Pedestrian activity is increasing in this rapidly changing part of Liberty Street:
Credit: TrueLook
Rise Indoor Sports Complex:
The new Rise indoor sports facility is still on schedule, with a planned opening in June 2021. Interestingly, they are already booked into Fall 2022! This should be good news for area hotels and those dependent on the tourism industry.
Dave McNair Mastering:
Our first look inside and the white windows are Tyvek House Wrap:
Credit: dangerflute
Credit: TrueLook
Downtown Grocery Store and Retail Development:
It appears as if a grocery store and retail development will be constructed at Third Street and Research Parkway? There aren't many details at this time. We are waiting for an official announcement. This will be in downtown Winston-Salem's IQ District.
Winston-Salem Regional Autopsy Center:
Yes, you read that correctly. The State of North Carolina may provide funding for a nearly $27 million regional autopsy center to replace the existing smaller autopsy center. The autopsy center in Winston-Salem serves 33 counties and is used to train pathology residents. It would open near the Primate Center research facility. Keep in mind that North Carolina has 100 counties, so the Winston-Salem Regional Autopsy Center serves the entire western third of the state. Do you want to follow this potential State-funded construction project? It would have eight autopsy work stations, refrigerated storage for 50 bodies, and 1,760 autopsies could be performed annually at the proposed new facility. The current facility performs around 1,500 autopsies annually. They expect this number to rise as the western third of the state continues to grow. This could be the most macabre thing added to our project list, if we follow its construction.
Woodruff Aviation College:
Credit: FTCC
Credit: FTCC
Credit: FTCC
Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center Renovation:
Chad Setliff, President of Novant Health Winston-Salem Metro Area, said 75% of the projects in this renovation are now under construction. He also said they are all on-budget.
Downtown Senior Housing:
It appears as if a new senior housing development is proposed for downtown Winston-Salem, near a proposed park on Third Street. There are few details at this time. WSBornNBred at the WSTB Forum reported seeing soil testing at this site a week or two ago. I see other downtowns building senior housing, but it's a building use that is rare in new proposals in downtown Winston-Salem.
The Easley Apartments:
The first residents will move-in around April 2022.
The tower crane above an icy city:
Credit: winston_360
Credit: TrueLook
Credit: TrueLook
Credit: TrueLook
Credit: TrueLook
Credit: TrueLook
Credit: TrueLook
Credit: TrueLook
An older aerial image (from early-February?), showing the squared-off building on the triangular-shaped lot:
Credit: DPJ Residential
Remember: Two streets were removed through The Easley Apartment's construction site to create the large site for this 300-unit apartment building. They will have to completely rebuild the sidewalks and the developer agreed to install a bicycle cut-through path at the site after cyclists complained about street closings. Renderings are showing extra-wide sidewalks and nice landscaping around the building, along with a new park to be donated to the City.
Truliant Headquarters Expansion:
It appears as if the credit union is ready to add signage to their new 154,000 square-foot office space. This is part of their headquarters.
Novant Health Critical Care Center:
Novant Health shared renderings of their new $222 million expansion, expected to be completed in Fall 2024. The new building will have 60 critical-care beds and 36 intermediate beds, an enhanced surgical suite, and expanded pre and postoperative space. Hospital workers can quickly change the need and set-up of rooms in this new building. This is part of a half-billion-dollars in construction at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem. It is expected to create a large number of new jobs at the medical center. Construction could begin next year, with some work possibly starting in early-2022? Novant Health is also in talks with UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine to open a branch of the UNC Medical School in Winston-Salem at this hospital. Winston-Salem will have two university medical centers when this happens.
Credit: Novant Health
Credit: Novant Health
815 North Trade Office Building:
East Coast Capital is the office tenant in this new office / residential building. They leased 100% of the office space.
Credit: DWSP
Stevens Center Renovation:
The North Carolina State House revived their $42.2 million bill to help pay for this performing arts center project. At the same time, the UNC System has requested $29.8 million for the same project. The building was originally the first downtown high-rise apartment building in the state, in the 1920s, and had a coffee shop and a 3,000 seat silent theatre with performance stage.
Credit: downtownwinstonsalem
500 West 5th:
Credit: fredocarroz
Credit: Ashley Sowers Lay
Bailey Park Outdoor Ice Rink:
Bailey Park purchased and will install a new Glice ice rink November 2021. The rink will be large enough for 32 skaters. It will remain open until February 2022. Expect to see ice skating at the park, in downtown's IQ District, every Winter. I'm not sure if they will have hockey or not? Playing hockey with the skyline in the background would be awesome! Look for this attraction in the large "green/lawn" area of the park, where they host large concerts and events.
North Patterson Retail: Built!
This project is now completed, though the buildings aren't 100% renovated. Only the exteriors were renovated. It looks different from the rendering? This appears to be a "flip" project, with six of the seven storefronts for sale. One is currently leased with a hair salon. It has that classic painted brick flip look. I really wish they would've preserved the original brick color and avoided the typical paint. Jordan Consultants was the architect and W.C. Construction was the general contractor for this project.
You will also find an old movie theatre on the street behind these storefronts and you'll find a Streamline Moderne 7-UP Bottling Plant next to it:
Credit: wcconstructionco
Credit: wcconstructionco
Sentinel Commons:
Blanco Tackabery Law Firm will move from Five Points to downtown at Sentinel Commons. They will become an anchor tenant in the project on two floors of office space.
Arden Homes is pulling permits to start upfitting space for their new downtown headquarters at Sentinel Commons.
Demand for office space in downtown Winston-Salem is high enough for this project to become mostly office space.
ELF Solar Light Electric Vehicles:
Sun MicroMobility is moving manufacturing, distribution, and possibly the headquarters of the ELF Solar Light Electric Vehicle to downtown Winston-Salem's Industry Hill neighborhood. The building is at 1150 Oak Street in what is becoming a very trendy downtown neighborhood. It's a half-bicycle and half-solar-electric vehicle. I've seen them around downtown Winston-Salem over the past year or so.
Credit: GSV
Link Apartments 4th Street:
Winston-Salem is Grubb Properties best performing market. Their projects, including an apartment building they opened last year in this pandemic, have all leased months ahead of schedule. Clay Grubb has said he likes investing in this city's downtown and views it as one of the best positioned downtowns to become winners, with great amenities, great quality of life, and great housing. He also likes visiting downtown Winston-Salem and enjoys the bike infrastructure, art, and parks being constructed in downtown. It is said he could be in discussions to build another massive apartment building in the Innovation Quarter. Link Apartments 4th Street is expected to begin leasing apartments by this time next year.
Credit: bryanlovessharon
Wednesday (2/17):
Credit: jasonthiel
Credit: Fam Brownlee
Credit: Ashley Sowers Lay
Credit: Jessica Sapp
Credit: Jessica Sapp
You can see the entrance to the underground parking deck:
Credit: Jessica Sapp
Alternative Transportation:
Oliver Cycling Park:
The Portrait Project will be completed and officially unveiled on April 10, 2021.
Credit: tylerxlancaster
Downtown Streetscape:
The City has released funds to start work on the MLK Streetscape project. It is currently in design and city cycling advocates are working with the design team to add pedestrian and cycling amenities.
Transit, Bike, & Pedestrian Improvements:
Winston-Salem is one of the few cities in a State pilot program to count cyclists and pedestrians and use the numbers for research. The City will ask the State for portable counters, to allow Winston-Salem to count more locations than the permanent counters allow for. If you would like to know: Pedestrian activity on Fourth Street (Restaurant Row) was down by 50% in 2020, due to COVID-19. Interestingly, it was up by 50% in places with parks. Hotels are also down by roughly 50%.
Smith Reynolds Airport Projects:
Smith Reynolds Airport has received NCDOT funding to help pay for the Taxiway A relocation project.
Yadkin Valley Regional Bicycle Plan:
The National Cycling Center is now involved in talks to convert the Norfolk-Southern L-Line to a rail with trail project. There is a strong and growing effort to make this cycling trail happen. This trail connects downtown to the Yadkin River and has nice views of the bluffs on the north end of downtown Winston-Salem. It also has a long wooden trestle bridge on the top-end of downtown that is over a century old and likely needs major work. I don't think any trains have used this rail line in maybe 25-30 years? The railroad won't sell the line and views it as potentially valuable in the near future, to restart service, with the city's accelerating growth. Past efforts to acquire the rail line for passenger rail or a bike path have failed. And the railroad isn't up-keeping it, so it's very close to falling apart and very dangerous in its present condition.
Off-Subject:
More Home Builders Entering the Winston-Salem Market:
Pulte Group is the #3 home builder, nationally, and they have now entered the Winston-Salem Metro Area, with plans to expand. Winston-Salem's growing tech and healthcare industries along with the city's growth from people moving here from more expensive cities to work-from-home is attracting home builders. A New Jersey-based high-density residential developer, with no projects outside the New York City-area, has purchased an entire Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. How long will it stay a golf course?
South's Best Cities on the Rise 2021:
Southern Living has ranked Winston-Salem as one of their top-10 Cities on the Rise. A quote from Southern Living: "The ingenuity of the city’s Moravian founders has translated into a community of young entrepreneurs and creators who spurred a live-work-play revolution."
Top Metros Attracting Talent:
According to McKinsey & Company, Winston-Salem is one of the country’s top metros for positive growth in attracting talent over the last year.
Random Photographs:
An upscale butcher shop in downtown's IQ District:
Credit: Ashley Sowers Lay
Credit: chaoticcharley_
Credit: Ashley Sowers Lay
Credit: mattlineberry_
With warm weather returning and vaccines, these places should reopen soon:
Credit: winstonwandering
Club Yeti in downtown's IQ District:
Credit: jasonthiel
City covered in ice:
Credit: winston_360
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