[Matthew]

Projects & Construction:

DoubleTree Madison Park:
The Winston-Salem Wildcats indoor football team has announced DoubleTree Madison Park is the preferred lodging location for the 2016 football season. This hotel is almost completed, according to the interior designer, who provided these photographs.


Credit: Studio Rouge


Credit: Studio Rouge


Credit: Studio Rouge

Look at the Winston-Salem skyscrapers on the wall:

Credit: Studio Rouge


Credit: Studio Rouge


Credit: Studio Rouge


Credit: Studio Rouge


Credit: Studio Rouge

Blackstone to Acquire BioMed Realty:
Blackstone Real Estate Partners will acquire all outstanding shares of BioMed Realty. BioMed Realty is downtown Winston-Salem's leading developer and downtown's leading property owner by total square feet owned and total value of developments. Blackstone is the world’s largest private-equity firm and BioMed Realty is the world's leading provider of real estate solutions to the life science community. “Demand for high-quality, institutional real estate to support the unprecedented growth of the life science industry is at historic levels as demand is outpacing supply in all of our core innovation districts,” said Alan Gold, CEO of BioMed Realty. “We are excited to acquire this best-in-class company which owns an exceptional collection of office buildings catering to life science tenants in gateway markets. We believe in the long-term fundamentals of this sector, particularly in locations with top-tier educational and research institutions,” says Nadeem Meghji, co-head of U.S. real estate acquisitions for Blackstone.

BioMed Realty is currently constructing the Undergraduate Sciences Center and Bowman Gray Medical Education Building. BioMed Realty is about to start construction soon on Bailey Power Plant and Bailey Park's second phase. BioMed Realty has proposed $750 million in additional development, including a possible 20-25 storey skyscraper in downtown Winston-Salem's IQ District. BioMed Realty is also a partner in the Rails-to-Trails Bicycle Super Highway project, through downtown's IQ District.

Two-Storey Publix With Parking Deck:
We finally have a rendering of this Publix grocery store. Since it looks urban (appears to be a full-sized urban grocery store), we will continue to follow it. It appears to have the height of a three or four storey building. This is the only grocery store in North Carolina with parking under the store.


Credit: Little Diversified

Plaza Building Renovation:
This is another project on our construction list we haven't talked much about. It's a major renovation of a 17-18 storey Class B concrete box office building into a Class A corporate headquarters for RAI, one of Winston-Salem's three Fortune 500 headquarters. This is one of the biggest construction projects downtown, but we have so few photographs of it and no renderings of what it could look like when they are finished. So, what is new with this project? The plaza at the base of the building has a wing and it appears as if it is being renovated for storefronts? It appears as if Starbucks and a fitness center have leased the space. The plaza will also be used by the Empire Restaurant & Bar in Kimpton's Cardinal Hotel.

Kimpton's The Cardinal Hotel & Residences: (329 Foot Height Change Explained)
I found a set of blueprints and now we can finally confirm the height from the East Elevation. I had long heard the height on this side was 328 feet and 10 inches, if I remember correctly. Now I'm able to confirm it's around 329 feet. Using the blueprints from Strada Architects, I found the service entrance corner, which is marked 6-23. From the sidewalk on the east side of (6-23) to the top of the parapet, it measured exactly 329 feet. Yes, I had to measure it, since it didn't have a measurement for the parapet or from the floor to the sidewalk. I took several sample measurements of areas that did have the architect's sea-level elevations, to be sure my measurement was as accurate as possible. Since 329 feet is from the lowest point on the sidewalk to the top of the parapet, that is the number we should use. If you want to know, the floors are 12 feet and 6 inches high. I also discovered the 10th Floor amenity area is actually just a rooftop deck. There is an area marked in the middle of the rooftop deck. That could be a rooftop pool, but it wasn't labeled, so we will have to wait to confirm that. The basketball court, bowling alley, fitness center, etc., appears to be in the basement levels and not on the 10th floor. Also, the suites for the hotel appear to be on the corners. There are 115 apartments (apartment total could change depending on 20th floor use) and 235 hotel rooms. That is about the size we've heard for the apartment part of the building, but if the hotel does have 235 rooms, the hotel will be larger (around 12% larger) than we've previously heard.

Late night construction work, seen from Piedmont Leaf Lofts' rooftop amenity area:

Credit: Wendy Weeks

Undergraduate Sciences Building:
New downtown classroom building, in the IQ District, developed by BioMed Realty.


Credit: Taufiq

Venture Capital:
Science investment firm Pappas Capital has created a fund for Winston-Salem and will invest in ideas, discoveries, and inventions from downtown Winston-Salem's IQ District. There are already a number of ideas, from downtown Winston-Salem's IQ District, being considered for investments. Founded in 1994, Pappas is a well-known player within the life-science venture capital world, with $353 million under management at the end of last year.

Bowman Gray Medical Education Building:
A look at Wake Forest University's new downtown medical school building.

This is a view we don't see very often - The Other Side (bridge and building on the left):

Credit: Create Your City

I wish they would clad these skybridges (photograph above) in transparent glass, instead of corrugated metal. The steel framework is beautiful and it's so sad to see it covered-up.

Central Library:
These amazing views are shared with us from steelegrouparch. The building constructed shortly after World War II is about 35% demolished right now. It will be completely demolished. The expansion, built in 1979, will be gutted to the steel frame and recald as part of the new structure. They've really opened-up the 1979 structure and we can actually see that steel frame, now.

Structure built shortly after WWII, being completely demolished:

Credit: steelegrouparch

The view, in the photograph below, could be lost to an apartment and retail development Grubb Properties has recently proposed.

1979 Building being gutted to the steel frame:

Credit: steelegrouparch

Wise Man Brewing:
We finally have construction updates on this project, which will be a brewery and an entertainment venue.

Originally Posted by Wise Man Brewing

Here are just a few things we're excited about at Wise Man Brewing:
1. The Brewery area of the building is nearly cleared out.
2. Lots of reclaimed wood from the building that we'll re-use.
3. Existing Graffiti wall is awesome!

Credit: Wise-Man-Brewing


Credit: Wise-Man-Brewing


Credit: Wise-Man-Brewing


Credit: Wise-Man-Brewing


Credit: Wise-Man-Brewing

Krankies Renovation:
This multi-use and multi-storey building was recently renovated. There has been a lot of talk about it, over the past few months. I thought I would share a photograph I found. This is just a small part of the renovation.


Credit: Jim Whiteside

Urban Outfitters at Woolworth's Building?
According to another neighboring business owner: The owners of the historic 1912 Woolworths Building appear to be in lease negotiations with Urban Outfitters. This space is more than twice as large as the usual Urban Outfitters, with two large floors and entrances on Fourth Street's Restaurant Row and Liberty Street, in the Arts District. The Restaurant Row entrance allows direct access to the second floor and the building has a rooftop. Urban Outfitters is currently building larger stores, which appear to be called Space with the building address. "Space Forty 8" as an example. These stores have an upscale restaurant, bar, the Urban Outfitters store, and sometimes they may have a bike repair shop or a fitness studio or the work of local artists. They also take advantage of rooftops. If Urban Outfitters moves into this building, I'm "guessing" they will open one of these multi-tenant spaces, which will be the first of its kind in the Carolinas. Urban Outfitters calls these "Lifestyle Concept" stores. It creates an experience. Workers are currently renovating the storefront.

It's the building with plywood over the entrance (right side):

Credit: C. Callahan

Yes, this is the site of the nation's first sit-in victory.

Alternative Transportation:

Creative Corridors:
Fundraising has started for Creative Corridors. They need to raise $5 million to build the proposed bridge improvements. BB&T has donated $300,000 to help support the effort. Be sure to donate to Creative Corridors, if you support the walking and cycling improvements. The cable stayed bicycle and pedestrian bridge, connecting the downtown grocery store to West Salem/Brookstown will cost $2,035,038. I'm surprised to see the Land Bridge, with bicycle flyover ramp, only cost $980,000! https://creativecorridors.org/donate

These T-Shirts cost $20 and help raise money to build the bridges:

Credit: Creative Corridors

Off-Subject:


Credit: Teri


Credit: Teri

Worth a laugh:

Credit: Twin City Hive

Winston-Salem is known for its custom bicycles: It's a Schwinn Rat Bike!

Credit: Luke Mishoe

Looking for something to do this Hallowe'en?

Originally Posted by Our State Magazine

Winston-Salem has earned the reputation of being one of the most haunted cities in the state. Roy Heizer will take you through the West End Historic District on this particular tour. The Camel City has a lot of spooky history to explore, and this tour just begins to dig the grave. The story of Thomas Ellegood at Edward Belo’s pond will especially make the hair stand straight up on your neck.

Monday-Saturday, tours start at 7 p.m. Tickets $15, cash only. (336) 971-7396