Innovation Quarter Phase II
This new phase of development will allow for one million square feet of new clinical, office and lab space and 15 acres of urban green space.
Breaking Ground
Infrastructure work kicks off phase II development
In September 2023, infrastructure work began for the future Innovation Quarter phase II. This stage includes laying of fiber and electrical conduit, site grading, installation of lighting and trees, streetscaping and an almost half-mile extension of the Long Branch Trail.
“This first and vital step in the development of the next phase of Innovation Quarter is another signal of the growth and vibrancy happening here,” said Jason Kaplan, Associate Vice President of Innovation Quarter Operations. “The improvements we are breaking ground on today will lay the foundation for a whole new era of excitement for downtown Winston-Salem.”
Innovation Quarter and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, have worked closely with ACCESS Center for Equity + Success to ensure participation from MWBE (Minority-/Women-owned Business Enterprise) trade partners. Through this partnership, Innovation Quarter Phase II infrastructure development is projected to have 26% MBE and 10% WBE participation.
Welcome to our future
Located south of the existing Innovation Quarter, this extension builds upon a mission to connect, joining across to the East End and south to Old Salem.
The Place. The Plan. The Opportunity.
Mark Owens
President and CEO of Greater Winston-Salem, Inc.
“Phase II of Innovation Quarter’s development represents great potential for growing our economy and workforce, both within the district itself and across greater Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. When companies and talent consider Winston-Salem they are drawn to the vibrant atmosphere of the downtown core and the Innovation Quarter–the mix of creativity and innovation has become a symbol of Winston-Salem’s identity. This is a city where you can find your spot, and we are certain that many will find theirs in iQ’s Phase II.”
Eugene A. Woods
President and CEO of Atrium Health
“For over 20 years, Innovation Quarter has led the way in creating integrated spaces that foster collaboration and creativity. This new phase of development continues that effort in a way that will allow Atrium Health and Wake Forest School of Medicine to build upon our scientific and innovation capabilities in a rich, blended environment while creating new connections and partnerships in order to expand these dynamic spaces to Charlotte.”
Annette Scippio
City Council, East Ward
“The establishment and growth of the Innovation Quarter over the last 20-plus years has been exciting to watch. This new master plan continues that momentum. I am encouraged about what this new phase means for the continued vitality of our great city and the jobs and resources it will bring to our community.”
The Place. The Plan. The Opportunity.
The Place
Anything you need to create community—find it here.
To bring together multiple facets of Winston-Salem and the Piedmont Triad at large, Innovation Quarter creates an inclusive environment that welcomes all citizens, encourages them to think innovatively, and provides the resources to help bring their creative ideas to life. The extension of Innovation Quarter will expand this ecosystem, offering more offer opportunities to find your spot.
Rooted in the long-standing history of innovation in Winston-Salem, this addition to the Quarter follows the tradition of drawing inspiration from the diverse and talented people in the community.
Animated through a mix of uses and inspired and reinforced by the existing Innovation Quarter, clinical space, science and technology labs, office, retail, hospitality and multi-family residential spaces will work together to shape the continued growth of this vibrant urban center in Winston-Salem.
Intentional Spaces & Design
Where activation and interaction become community.
This development phase in the innovation district features ten proposed buildings and 2.7 million total square feet and the same mixed-use, ground-level activation found in the existing district.
The 28-acre site for Innovation Quarter Phase II sits on either side of Research Parkway, the majority south of Third Street and north of Salem Parkway. Upon completion, the development will allow for one million additional square feet of clinical, lab and office space.
An intentional design for the public realm is critical to the success of this addition, and it must support pedestrian use and activity. The planning includes a conscious connection to the trail system and ease of movement across the entire pedestrian network, with a clear reflection of the city’s and original Quarter’s character.
While each building will delineate between public and private, transparency and access are critical. This new phase will generate activity that facilitates interaction. The outdoor spaces will be a continuation of the ground floor of the buildings, opening themselves to the public in an active and transparent way that reinforces the district’s vibrancy.
The Place. The Plan. The Opportunity.
The Plan
An extension to the south.
This new addition to the district will reinforce the character and structure of the original Quarter and historic Winston-Salem. The plan sets up a clear framework for a robust public realm, organized around the central commons, which gives the new district a unique identity that builds off the success of Bailey Park and its anchor to the north. This cohesive network will frame this new phase by connecting it to its neighbors and supporting many ways to move through the district.
It will also further promote multi-layered programming and events to ensure vibrancy in the district. As an extension of the Quarter and the city itself, this phase will utilize the elements that have made the Innovation Quarter successful and given Winston-Salem its rich history as a city. While it has a unique character and identity, it will work seamlessly with its surroundings.
Fogle Commons
The center of the extension.
At the center of the new phase of the Innovation Quarter is Fogle Commons, a linear park capable of hosting larger-scale activities like music and arts performances, academic and corporate events, and casual play or recreation.
The direct connection between the current Quarter centered around Bailey Park, and this newly extended site, centered on the proposed Commons, was created through deliberate visual and physical elements that fluid movement between the two places.
This phase will also create fifteen acres of new, programmable green space and extend the Long Branch Trail by almost half a mile, connecting it with the Third Street bridge, which leads to neighborhoods in east Winston-Salem. Long Branch Trail will weave the two areas together, creating multiple connections between the existing district and emerging areas to the south.
In addition, 450 residential units will accommodate a growing population of tenants. An additional 30,000 square feet of ground-level activation space will include retail stores and restaurants and allow for the same mixed-use atmosphere that helped the Innovation Quarter gain the distinction of “Best Practice for Creating Integrated Places” by the Global Institute on Innovation Districts in 2020.
The Place. The Plan. The Opportunity.
The Opportunity
This new phase comes with more than just space.
It includes an entire community.
From workforce trainees to MBAs to PhDs, our community features departments from five colleges and universities, with access to even more institutions region-wide. A blossoming entrepreneurial ecosystem and a host of programming—from business accelerators to code camps—that shape an adept workforce pipeline.
This development phase includes the 28-acre site primed with advanced telecommunications infrastructure, including redundant fiber systems with unlimited capacity to ensure cutting-edge research, communication and interaction.
As with the current Quarter, this new, extended area will provide a varied and vibrant place comprised of residences, restaurants, and entertainment. The community will include wellness activities, publicly accessible green spaces and regular programming.
Collaboration & Partnership
Corporate and community, indoor and outdoor.
The extended Quarter provides a series of places and spaces connected within the new district, facilitating interaction and collaboration critical to the success of any innovation ecosystem, starting with the intentional design of buildings and spaces and collaboration with community partners.
Since 2010, the Innovation Quarter has partnered with Wexford Science + Technology to transform this section of downtown Winston-Salem into a thriving innovation district. Wexford brings expertise in developing what it calls “knowledge communities” that feature major research anchor institutions like the Wake Forest School of Medicine to help spur collaboration.
In addition to planning building space, the Innovation Quarter team is working with Perkins and Will to design intentional, activated outdoor spaces. These spaces will add to the vibrancy of the new phase, similar to how Bailey Park and the Long Branch Trail provide tenants, visitors and community members with spaces to interact, recreate and relax.
As part of this phase, the Innovation Quarter is also working with community leaders to increase and strengthen physical links between the district and neighborhoods immediately to the east across U.S. Highway 52. Connectivity across Highway 52 has long been a challenge and proposed infrastructure—including improved streetscapes, bridge enhancements and potential extension of Long Branch Trail—aiming to enhance the connectivity between Innovation Quarter and new developments like the Metropolitan Village.
Innovation Quarter is home to the most significant historic redevelopment project in the history of the state of North Carolina, according to Preservation NC, a statewide non-profit dedicated to historic preservation. Its 2.1 million existing square feet of office, lab, educational, and community spaces are home to 3,700 people working and more than 1,600 degree-seeking students. Total public-private investment in the district to date is more than $841 million.
Innovation Quarter Phase II Master Plan
