The small footprint of Winston-Salem’s Innovation Quarter—less than 350 acres—belies the fact that this vibrant, urban enclave is home to nearly 2 million square feet of office, lab and educational space. Not to mention the increasing number of trendy restaurants and bars. All these amenities bring life to the grand Art Deco towers, modern glass-encrusted high-rises and squat, concrete-clad 1980s buildings that fill the city center’s skyline. Red brick factory buildings, remnants of the city’s 20th-century tobacco heyday, provide industrial-chic apartment and condo-style housing to the neighborhood’s occupants. Most are renters. “It’s an up-and-coming area. In the 10 years I’ve been here, I’ve seen it grow exponentially. There’s fantastic dining and a good number of bars. It’s starting to get the nightlife that Winston-Salem’s been lacking for a long time,” says Realtor John Fox of Leonard Ryden Burr Real Estate. “It gives you that big city feel while being in a small city.” Despite its growing nightlife and dining scenes, the district’s atmosphere is “mature,” according to Alex Quate, a local Realtor with Fathom Realty. She says that the eateries, bars and breweries tend to be geared more toward “young businesspeople,” rather than “younger, 21-year-old-college-student-types.”
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.
Former tobacco production buildings now function as stylish lofts in Innovation Quarter.
Innovation Quarter features available townhomes.
Explore The Artreaux apartment building on Innovation Quarter's north end.
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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.
Bailey Park is located at the heart of Innovation Quarter.
The Salem Creek Greenway stretches south of Innovation Quarter.
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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.
Bailey Power Plant is a former power facility-turned-commercial hub.
Eat a traditional Margherita pizza or a Caprese salad at Cugino Forno in Innovation Quarter.
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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.
Brunson Elementary School is situated next to Hanes Park in downtown Winston-Salem.
Wiley Magnet School is within walking distance of Hanes Park.
Reynolds High School scores a B+ on Niche.
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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.
Various transportation options, including rental bikes, abound in Innovation Quarter.
Innovation Quarter boasts well-marked bus stops.
The arches signal your arrival in downtown Winston-Salem.
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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.
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.
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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
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,
Originally built in 1920 by the P. H. Hanes Company for textile manufacturing, we converted these majestic industrial buildings into 171 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes. Construction involved all new mechanical and fire alarm systems; roof, skylight and window replacement; restoration of the façade; new main entrance foyer accessing a new lobby and lounge. We introduced contemporary
The Gallery Lofts apartments offer a premier, urban living experience in Downtown Winston-Salem. Indulge yourself in one of our uniquely appointed one or two bedroom floor plans, with original hardwood maple floors and experience the chic social element of the trendy downtown living. With modern accommodations and premier amenities designed for work or play, socializing or relaxing, our community
Link Apartments Innovation Quarter is located in the Innovation Quarter District at the corner of North Patterson and Fifth within walking distance to Downtown Winston-Salem. These new apartments in Winston Salem are perfectly situated in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina with Greensboro and High Point close by. Our a pet friendly, stunning new apartment community is in an
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
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.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
