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. I don't make any money from this and donate my time to assemble these updates for the city and those who want to learn what is happening here. The best way you can thank these photographers and local businesses is through hiring them or buying from them, if you can.
Yes, this is the 9th best minor league sports market in the United States.
Music from someone named Matthew (like me!):
• Video Link
Bailey South:
Look for new restaurant Sixhundred Degrees to open in Bailey South later this year. The Variable has moved into their new office space in this building. They have also doubled in size, in both employees and office space, over the past year. You may remember, The Variable was selected by Fast Company as one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators. According to The Variable, It's easy to recruit people from New York City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Chicago to work at the Bailey Power Plant Complex in downtown Winston-Salem's IQ District. A combination of great buildings and a fun/creative city make Winston-Salem attractive to people relocating. And we have seen many people and their businesses move to Winston-Salem from larger cities, like New York City, since the start of COVID-19. It's great to see others discover how attractive Winston-Salem is and the Bailey Power Plant Complex should become more attractive when the Morris Building is completed.
Interview:
• Video Link
Credit: stitchdesignshop
Credit: ak_spinks
Credit: josephmargolis
Credit: Neill McNeill
Credit: stitchdesignshop
Credit: stitchdesignshop
Monument Stairs:
Credit: stitchdesignshop
Monument Stairs (Friday 8/28):
Credit: bowennicholson
Monument Stairs (Saturday 8/29):
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
Remember... This is COR-TEN steel and it will look rusty when they finish:
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
Completed Monument Stairs (Monday 8/31):
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
Third floor outdoor space in the six-storey building:
Credit: frontstreetcapital
Wind and clouds from Hurricane Laura:
Credit: jamieeastphotography
Credit: stitchdesignshop
An aerial view:
Credit: Aki Nakahira
Yes it is!
Credit: matthewdoran
You can see the new windows in the 1926 power plant building and a small part of the outdoor dining space for future restaurant Sixhundred Degrees:
Credit: istyle.sustyle
Credit: winston_360
Hyatt Place Hotel:
An announcement is expected this month about this project.
Credit: bestofwinstonsalem
Merschel Park:
We should know this month if the City will take-over this project.
Credit: klatttandrew
Credit: bestofwinstonsalem
Downtown Embassy Suites Renovation: Built! 
We never had many updates on this project. I think it's completed? If it's not, I'll add it back to our list. They added dark grey and copper paint to add some style, which is very common for renovations of hotels from the early 1970s. This building was originally a Hyatt and it is notable for being the second hotel to feature Hyatt's signature atrium from the 1970s. Last time I saw it, it appeared to be fully intact. I don't know if that changed with the renovation? It's something you may want to look for on your next visit.
Dark grey and copper paint were used to update the exterior:
Credit: Aki Nakahira
ThinkSpace:
This project is now adding a kitchen for food-related startups and food trucks.
8 West Third Street:
Credit: cassandramanuelfansler
Stevens Center Renovation:
Credit: klatttandrew
Morris Building:
We will hear a lot more about this building in the coming months. Both the developer and architects visited this building last week.
Credit: josephmargolis
Kaleideum Science Museum:
We now have all four elevations and an official height from the architect. According to Gensler, this building will be six total floors (five on the north facade and six on the south facade) and 98 feet / 29.9 metres tall on the taller south facade.
The site is ready for construction:
Credit: grapevinedesignstar
Credit: kiera_shaye_
Aerial View:
Credit: Cinematic SkyView
Elevations - The blue areas are windows:
North Facade:
Credit: Gensler
East Facade:
Credit: Gensler
West Facade:
Credit: Gensler
South Facade:
Credit: Gensler
Arts Based School Expansion:
This downtown elementary and middle school will build an addition to their buildings for a music school. Premier Commercial Builders is the general contractor.
The Easley Apartments:
Workers are now pouring concrete walls, as the building goes vertical. It will likely rise in phases. Most of these massive apartment buildings rise in multiple phases. Usually, the concrete parking deck is the first phase.
Wow, that is a tall mountain of dirt!
Credit: Aki Nakahira
Concrete forms from yesterday morning (Monday 8/31):
Credit: TrueLook
Concrete pour from yesterday morning (Monday 8/31):
Credit: TrueLook
East Second Avenue Apartments:
Credit: alliancetriad
Credit: alliancetriad
Crystal Towers Apartments:
The property sale is held-up due to COVID-19. I'm guessing they (Arden) are still buying it, but it may take a few more months before we see a closing?
Credit: thigglywiggly
New Tech Headquarters in Downtown:
Vispa has acquired Ohio-based WebReliance and will move the merged headquarters into a new building in downtown Winston-Salem. They are currently hiring and they expect to see additional hiring in the first quarter of 2021. This is a fast growing software company.
Nationwide Marketing Headquarters:
Credit: artist._.freak
Credit: meganmoots
Rooftop Update:
Credit: TrueLook
Moon Light Drive-in Theatre:
This project seems to have changed names to Winston Drive-in? I still need to confirm this name change. They will open this Friday (September 4, 2020) at 5 p.m. (movie starts at 7 p.m.). The screen is actually an LED screen (no projection?) and food is from a neighboring upper-end restaurant/bar and music venue. Not your typical movie theatre popcorn and overpriced candy. It's $42 and you can bring five other people with you on that ticket (at $7 a person, that isn't bad!). All tickets must be purchased in advance and if it rains, they still show the movie. As usual with COVID-19, movie theatres don't have many current movies to show, so I would expect older films.
Salem Parkway:
Credit: itsniquenotnic
Sign Changes:
Credit: NCDOT
Sign Changes:
Credit: NCDOT
401 West End Blvd:
Workers installed the wood flooring for the conference center and are refinishing the concrete floors in the storefront spaces. A new balcony on the top floor, under construction, will provide views of the former canal. COVID-19 has delayed window/door installation for this project.
Top floor balcony with a view of the former canal:
Credit: fiddleandfigmarket
Flooring in the conference space:
Credit: fiddleandfigmarket
Storefront spaces:
Credit: fiddleandfigmarket
Storefront spaces:
Credit: lavenderandhoneykitchen
500 West 5th:
Tech company Swipeby is preparing to expand and hire more workers at their 500 West 5th headquarters.
Sentinel Commons:
I think all of the leaseable office space is fully leased and completed?
Credit: gemcap_development
9th Cube:
This is a new downtown residential infill project by Drew Gerstmyer. It will be contemporary-architecture downtown housing that is also affordable for the people working in the bars, entertainment venues, and restaurants. It's often called Workforce Housing in Winston-Salem. It will infill an empty lot along Ninth Street, between Wise Man Brewing and the service access/loading docks to MIXXER Makerspace. At 35 feet / 10.7 metres in height and with only 10 units, it won't be the biggest project, but it's something downtown needs. Most of the people working at the three neighboring beer breweries, new hotel, and the neighboring museum can't afford to live downtown. This will give them an option to live in walking distance of their workplace. They can also walk to a maker space directly behind their rental apartments.
Interstate 74:
The first 3.5 mile (5.5 kilometre) segment of Interstate 74 will open around Labor Day. This segment of Interstate 74 will connect Salem Parkway with U.S. Route 158. The next segment will open around late-December and connect U.S. Route 311 to Salem Parkway. Interstate 74 is six-lanes and should be 65 mph (105 km/h). Work has already started on a segment between U.S. Route 52 and U.S. Route 311. Completion of the entire project is still a few years away. Flatiron Constructors is the General Contractor for this project.
Credit: dawn.wilson.58726
Centenary UMC Renovation:
Credit: rybehenderson
Twin City Motor Building Adaptive-reuse:
This was a former Ford Assembly Building (Ford Factory) and new car showroom. The parts were made in Michigan and sent to this building in Winston-Salem to be assembled into new Model-T cars. An extreme Model-T shortage led to the creation of several assembly facilities in high demand cities. It was a faster way to fill the high demand. Winston-Salem was the state's largest city at the time and had very high demand. They usually had a sales showroom on the ground floor, to sell them as fast as they could assemble them. Developers are converting it into a food hall, event space, year-round rooftop bar, bowling, craft beer brewery, a restaurant, and golf/sports simulators. And yes, it will have a restored Model-T on display.
Credit: squarethecircle003
Link Apartments 4th Street:
Credit: Fam Brownlee
Credit: Fam Brownlee
The 1951 Security Life & Trust Headquarters is now replaced with a grass mound, as workers remove the remains of the 1929 Pilot Building:
Credit: Fam Brownlee
Credit: Fam Brownlee
Basement wall from the 1929 Pilot Building:
Credit: Fam Brownlee
Alternative Transportation:
Oliver Cycling Park:
Credit: Cinematic SkyView
Bike & Pedestrian Land Bridge:
You can see the new path from Oliver Cycling Park, the new MUSE museum, and the bridge to the main CBD bike & pedestrian path:
Credit: Aki Nakahira
Credit: hieronym.us
Smith Reynolds Airport Restoration:
On September 8, the City will discuss this project.
Salem Parkway Bike & Pedestrian Path:
The bike path below the small arch on the bridge (It follows the grade of the land under the parkway and reappears on the other side of the parkway):
Credit: NCDOT
Green Street Pedestrian Bridge:
They still have to attach it to the bicycle commuter path (Salem Parkway Bike & Pedestrian Path, pictured above) and the Green Street sidewalks. Also, the up-lighting is installed, but isn't on.
A close-up look at the new safety fencing and up-lights:
Credit: Evan Gwynn
Downtown Streetscape:
I'll answer Matt_A's question here. The reason... I found renderings dated August 13, 2020! It does appear as if they have everything planned-out and at least a rough idea of what they want to do. It matches with what I've heard, too. I'm sure they have some final details to complete, but it appears as if they know roughly what they want to do. Even the brand of bricks and grates, types of trees, and foundation below the new sidewalks appears to be decided and has cost estimates.
What they can do is limited by the width of the streets. People want protected bike lanes, street side parking, transit-only lanes, wider sidewalks for the restaurants, etc.,. Downtown Winston-Salem has very narrow streets, which many urbanists love. Downtown Winston-Salem has some of the narrowest downtown streets in the southeast. There are streets from maybe 200+ years ago that only a bicycle could use and others with steps, but that is a part of the city's fun character. First and Second streets have width to work with, but Main and Liberty streets are very narrow. They found creative solutions, like flex lanes that can be used for parking during the day and as expanded sidewalks for restaurants or festivals at night and on weekends. This should be fun to see, when it's completed!
I could tell from the buildings this is a rough architect's sketch of Liberty Street, near Fifth Street:
Credit: City of Winston-Salem
The wider streets will have flex lanes, which can be used for street side parking during the business day and sidewalk dining at night and on weekends.
Flex Lanes: (I suspect they may have plans to redo Fourth Street, since this appears to be Fourth Street?):
Credit: City of Winston-Salem
This is likely to be a much larger project than we thought and I would look for another bond proposal, in the near future, for a next phase.
Transit, Bike, & Pedestrian Improvements:
The state is funding and creating a regional bicycle transportation coordinator job for Winston-Salem.
Low Line: Built!
Yes, this project is now completed! People are now walking on it and taking photographs on it. It is called Low Line because this elevated rail walkway is lower than the elevated rail walkway two blocks to the east. You will have to wait until later this year or next year for the storefronts along the Low Line to open. This is what Viator Design & Construction said, "We removed, restored, and reinstalled these tracks to help turn this old track into an elevated walkway. Handrails are split I-beams called split Ts. We installed over 10,000 ft of cable on this job. Now come enjoy it!"
Credit: ashleythomasturner
Credit: marimac82
Credit: marimac82
Credit: agirlnamedkeith
Credit: dr_oscarotero
Credit: Evan Gwynn
Credit: Brandon Ore
Credit: winston_360
Original Power Plant Coal Chutes (restored as an art feature):
Credit: winston_360
Lights under the handrail:
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
Credit: viatordesignandconstruction
Off-Subject:
Historical Markers:
Credit: Preservation Forsyth
Best Minor League Sports Markets:
Sports Business ranked Winston-Salem as the 9th best minor league sports market in the United States.
The Dan River at Hanging Rock State Park:
Credit: rileydaggett_photography
Credit: 3x3files
Credit: klatttandrew
Credit: hornephoto
United Church of Christ in the historic Ardmore Neighborhood:
Credit: oxenham
Credit: bmiltphoto
Credit: loftlifews
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