Innovation Quarter
$291,064
Average Value
Apartments and condos in converted industrial buildings
More than 80% of the Innovation Quarter’s nearly 4,000 residents are renters, but there are also a few owner-occupied condos and duplexes in the neighborhood. Communities like Piedmont Leaf Lofts and The Lofts at Albert Hall offer one, two and three-bedroom condo units in converted 20th-century tobacco factories. The interiors feature original structural elements like exposed brick and rustic wood beams, giving them an urban/industrial-chic vibe. Lofts and one-bedroom units start at around $400,000. Larger condos can go for more than $600,000. “They’re a little bit pricey, but that’s what you get for living in the downtown atmosphere,” Fox says. The median price here is $413,612, nearly $200,000 more than the median for the city. And the average days-on-market for move-in ready homes here is just 4, compared to the national average of 43. The one active listing in the Innovation Quarter in May 2024 was a vacant, development-ready lot priced at $900,000.
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Busy Bailey Park
Whether it’s live music by local musicians or free outdoor yoga sessions, it seems like there’s always something going on in Bailey Park. “It’s really sprung up lately,” says Quate. On weekdays between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., food trucks fill the air with tantalizing smells. Residents and employees alike can pop over to pick up melty sandwiches from Big Mouff Cheesesteaks, Main-style seafood rolls from Lobster Dogs, authentic street food from Rockin’ Moroccan, or more, depending on which truck is on the schedule for the day. The park also hosts film screenings and annual events like the Juneteenth Festival and the SummerLark Cancer Patient Support Program benefit concert. Fox says the 1.6-acre greenspace is almost always packed. “There are young families out there with their kids, riding bikes and playing ball. My kids are teenagers, and even they hang out there.” Close by, the Long Branch Trail stretches nearly 2 miles, connecting the Innovation Quarter to the Salem Creek Greenway. The Run Club hosts their Lazy Cowboy Runs on the trails; the 5K jogs take place on Thursday evenings and are advertised as being “slow as hell” on the group’s Facebook page. Baseball fans flock to Truist Stadium every summer for Winston-Salem Dash Minor League baseball games. The ballpark is only about a mile west of home.
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Eateries aplenty
The brick smokestacks of the former Bailey Power Plant tower above the district’s west side. Once, the building sent coal-fired power thrumming through the nearby tobacco warehouses; today, it houses meeting rooms, offices, eateries and watering holes. Cugino Forno Pizzeria is popular for its authentic Neapolitan pies, made from scratch with fresh ingredients sourced straight from Italy. Quate says that the newly opened Six Hundred°, nearby, is quickly becoming a hot spot for lunch and dinner. It’s an upscale but unstuffy kind of place, with a menu that emphasizes seasonal items. In the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel, across the street, The Katherine Brasserie & Bar is another of Quate’s personal favorites. She calls the elegant French-inspired restaurant “awesome,” and adds that the historic hotel is worth visiting even just to admire from outside. The landmark was built in 1929 and joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Its grand Art Deco design inspired New York’s Empire State Building, which was built less than a year later by the same architecture firm. “The Kimpton Cardinal gets a card for Mother’s and Father’s Day every year from the Empire State Building,” says Quate. For the weekly grocery shop, residents can head to Compare Foods, less than a mile and a half east. Or, for a quick snack fix, Kingz Downtown Market is just a few blocks west of Bailey Park.
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Highly rated magnet schools, historic university
Brunson Elementary School, which offers a STEM magnet program to kids between preschool and fifth grade, earns a B-plus from Niche. Wiley Magnet Middle earns a B-minus and offers a STEAM-focused magnet program. Between ninth and 12th grades, students can apply to attend either the Arts for Academics Magnet School at R.J. Reynolds High or the STEM magnet program at Atkins Academic & Technology High School. Reynolds earns a B-plus from Niche; Atkins earns an A and is ranked No. 2 on Niche’s list of the best public high schools in Forsyth County. Winston-Salem State University is less than 2 miles southeast of most homes. The historically Black, public university offers nearly 40 bachelor’s degree programs and boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1.
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Walkable, bikeable, bus and car driveable
Innovation Quarter residents are blocks away from numerous employers. Municipal buildings like City Hall and the Forsyth County Government Center are within a mile of most homes, between First and Third Streets. Locals often walk or bike around the neighborhood, but getting around by bus is easy, too, with Winston-Salem Transit Authority stops spaced evenly along most of the grid-patterned streets. Getting around the wider Piedmont Triad is also easy; US Routes 52 and 421 are both less than a mile away.
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Crime
The overall CAP Index Crime Score for the Innovation Quarter is 10 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4. The overall score is driven by higher-than-average scores for both violent and property crimes, including larceny, motor vehicle theft and sexual assault, all three of which score 10 out of 10. The CAP Index Assault with Weapon and Robbery Scores are both 9 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4 in both categories.
Written By
Megan Quintin
Photography Contributed By
Marc Smith
Video By
Kevyn Harris
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Clement Little
Clement Little
Allen Tate Winston Salem
(833) 368-8083
229 Total Sales
1 in Innovation Quarter
$380,000 Price
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Carlos Garcia
Carlos Garcia
Coldwell Banker Realty
(980) 223-4202
126 Total Sales
1 in Innovation Quarter
$499,000 Price
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Blake Ginther
Blake Ginther
Responds QuicklyKeller Williams Realty Elite
(336) 815-5547
623 Total Sales
1 in Innovation Quarter
$431,000 Price
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Charlie Watkins
CW
Charlie Watkins
Responds QuicklyLeonard Ryden Burr Real Estate
(336) 559-7231
178 Total Sales
2 in Innovation Quarter
$231K - $316K Price Range
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Jason Bragg
JB
Jason Bragg
Responds QuicklyLeonard Ryden Burr Real Estate
(336) 770-2554
344 Total Sales
1 in Innovation Quarter
$222,000 Price
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Susan Miller
Susan Miller
MFM Realty
(743) 219-3418
81 Total Sales
2 in Innovation Quarter
$630K - $730K Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 8th
- Public
- Pre-K to 5th
- Public
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Passageway Park
Bailey Park
Hanes Park
Corpening Plaza
Artivity on the Green
Civitan Park
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Innovation Quarter | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 6 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 9 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 8 | 4 |
| Robbery | 8 | 4 |
| Burglary | 9 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 10 | 4 |
| Larceny | 10 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 9 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
55
Median Year Built
1998
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,214
Significantly below the national average
1,924
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,337
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,664
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
4,791
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
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$499,900
- 2 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1,729 Sq Ft
- 401 E 4th St
- Unit 206
- New 6 days ago
Located in the downtown Innovation Quarter PLL is a local landmark property that was converted to condos in 2006. Local landmark status gives the property owner a 50% property tax deferment per year. This unit is located in the 1899 section of the building and features historic preserved brick walls, windows, post and beam construction. There is a mix of original and newer wood floors. This
Michael Ryden Leonard Ryden Burr Real Estate
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$310,000
- 3 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1,300 Sq Ft
- 712 N Chestnut St
- New 20 days ago
Beautifully updated 3BR/2BA townhome located in one of Winston Salem's most vibrant and walkable neighborhoods. This move-in ready townhome features a spacious, open layout with modern updates, hardwood floors, and upscale charm throughout. Enjoy a stylish kitchen, a covered front porch, two full baths and generous bedrooms. Located just minutes from Bailey Park, Innovation Quarter, Wake Forest,
Morgan Wright Keller Williams Realty Elite
Homes for Rent
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$1,335 - $2,280 per month
- Winston Factory Lofts
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-3 Baths
- 546+ Sq Ft
- 675 N Main St
- Winston-Salem, NC
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$1,500 - $1,940 per month
- Gallery Lofts
- 1-2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 980+ Sq Ft
- 181 E 6th St
- Winston-Salem, NC
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$1,352 - $3,681 per month
- Link Apartments® Innovation Quarter
- Studio-2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 494+ Sq Ft
- 530 N Patterson Ave
- Winston-Salem, NC
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,911
Median Age
36
Population Density
6 ppl/acre
Population under 18
11.3%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
10.5%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$74,011
On par with the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$106,722
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
91.4%
College Graduates
51.5%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
26.5%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
56.3%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
44''
Average Winter Low Temperature
31°F
Average Summer High Temperature
88°F
Annual Snowfall
6''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
57
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
29
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Downtown Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem’s urban core, teeming with eateries, boutiques, galleries and more
East Winston
Downtown neighborhood north of Winston-Salem State University
Happy Hill
Winston-Salem's oldest recorded outlying neighborhood
South Marshall
Walkable area with a well-preserved 1700s historic district and a legendary bakery
Crystal Towers
West End Historic District homes blocks from Downtown Winston-Salem
Columbia Heights
Historic community home to NASCAR’s oldest active weekly racetrack
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