Who’s In The Building: 525@Vine

Anyone who’s ventured near the iQ knows the 525@vine building, though they may not realize it. You know 525@vine  by the iconic large red @ sign on its upper southwest corner. 

What’s less recognizable about the building, though, are the companies and organizations that call 525@vine home and the impact that they make on our community–sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly.

Lace up your shoes and come along on a walkabout of the 525@vine building to learn more about tenants located there and how they affect the larger ecosystem of Winston-Salem.

Finding 525@vine in the iQ

To get your bearings, let’s start in Bailey Park, a recognizable green space located near the smokestacks in the iQ. Near the stage located at the north end of the park, there’s a long set of stairs that leads up out of the park onto Vine St. As you walk up those stairs, you’ll see 525@vine across the street and to the right. 

Though it’s tucked in between Wake Forest Biotech Place and the Bowman Gray Medical Education Building, 525@vine is identifiable by the teal beams that criss-cross the entryway. The main entrance lies in the middle of the horseshoe shape of the building. 

From this vantage point, you’ll get a good look at the entrances for a few of the building’s tenants.

Sunrise Technologies

When you walk into the horseshoe that houses the Vine St. entrance to 525@vine, the first company you’ll see on the left is Sunrise Technologies. This international tech company is your local Microsoft partner that helps retailers, manufacturers, and distributors of all sizes replace outdated systems with modern solutions like Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Copilot to improve operational efficiency. As you peek into the large glass windows, you’ll see the vibrant yellow of the Sunrise Technologies brand–a color that reflects the company’s goal to help businesses shine brighter.  

Floor: 2 

Fun Fact: For 18 years running–yes, 18!–the Triad Business Journal has awarded Sunrise Technologies its Fast 50 Award, which recognizes growth and innovation in the Piedmont Triad. Talk about a streak!

What They Add to the Ecosystem: With deep roots in the Winston-Salem business community since 1994, Sunrise has been one of the pioneers of the region’s growing technology industry and has helped many companies in the region improve their business.

Lotus Yoga Academy

Just past Sunrise Technologies, you’ll see a very different kind of company. It’s no secret, though–the name is written loud and proud on the industrial glass windows. Lotus Yoga Academy brings the industrial space alive with breath and movement, providing yoga classes for all levels, including access to sessions through a virtual studio. On a nice day, you may even catch a class completing their flow with the large garage-style doors up, giving you a glimpse of the space’s polished concrete floor and long white drapes and trailing plants that soften its industrial features.

Floor: 2

Fun Fact: In addition to regular sessions, Lotus Yoga hosts a variety of workshops and events, sometimes in the 525@vine space, but they also offer retreats to far-flung places like Costa Rica and Guatemala. 

What They Add to the Ecosystem: Lotus Yoga is an important component of the wellness community blossoming in the iQ, including their partnership with the iQ on the iconic Sunset Salutations series that happens every year in Bailey Park.

Before you enter the 525@vine building, you may glance to the right and catch sight of a sign hanging parallel to the building. The sign is for Forsyth Tech Community College, but to learn more about that group, you’ll have to meet their office mate, Greater Winston-Salem, Inc., first. We’ll get there in a minute–let’s just get inside. 

Upfront and Personal for Businesses

Once you walk through the front entrance, you’ll probably first notice the staircase and the flood of light coming down in the center of the building from the atrium–a signature architectural feature of the building’s developer, Wexford Science & Technology.

To the left, you’ll find a security desk, but what will really catch your eye is a large mural-like painting adjacent to the desk that celebrates regional icons and culture. Created by local artist Nick Bragg, the painting, which was commissioned by Wexford, was inspired by the history of the iQ and its future. If you come to visit, don’t miss this Winston-Salem treasure. 

Next, take a moment to look over the railing at the airy atrium. Before you move on, notice the color-changing light installation soaring above your head. You’ll get a closer look later, but for now, we’re going right–right into a suite that belongs to two organizations helping to build the Winston-Salem workforce. 

Greater Winston-Salem Inc.

Greater Winston-Salem Inc., formerly known as the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, is a business association focused on making Forsyth County the best environment to start, grow, and relocate a business. To do so, Greater Winston-Salem Inc. engages in workforce training, economic development, and more. The organization’s work has contributed to making this city a great place to start a business. 

Floor: 2

Fun Fact: Greater Winston-Salem Inc. was named the nation’s Chamber of the Year in 2024. Part of the application had to do with the space they renovated in 525@vine, as well as the partnerships that they continue to develop in the community. 

What They Add to the Ecosystem: Greater Winston-Salem Inc. plays a role in just about all aspects of developing business here–recruiting, talent development, etc.–but they also have a goal of making Winston-Salem a great place to live, which trickles down to everyone. 

Forsyth Technical Community College

Remember that sign you saw out front? The one we didn’t talk about? It belongs to  Forsyth Technical Community College, which shares space with Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. A long-time tenant of 525@vine, Forsyth Tech rooms with the revamped chamber of commerce to collaborate on workforce development, primarily through the Forsyth Works program.

As you walk through the shared space, you’ll notice some subtle changes (like paint colors) that let you know if you’re in offices used by Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. or by Forsyth Tech. The Forsyth Tech Small Business Center is also located in the 525@vine space and provides resources for anyone trying to get a business off the ground. 

Floor: 2

Fun Fact: Forsyth Tech has nine locations and offers programs in everything from welding to nuclear medicine technology. 

What They Add to the Ecosystem: Forsyth Tech is on the frontlines of helping strengthen the Winston-Salem workforce. The community college provides training for many industries, helping people develop valuable skills. Forsyth Tech has over 150 programs, and 1 in 40 jobs in its service area is supported by Forsyth Tech and its students. 

Department of Academic Nursing–Wake Forest University School of Medicine

After leaving the Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. space, walk past the security desk and towards the elevators. If you keep going, you’ll run right into the Department of Academic Nursing, part of the Wake Forest School of Medicine. Behind these doors, you’ll find a typical office suite with some really cool antique nurse anesthesia equipment, but venture deeper and you’ll also discover an open-style classroom and clinical skills spaces. More importantly, you’ll find the academic home of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, the nursing profession’s highest degree, with two tracks that either position professional nurses to become specialized in nurse anesthesiology or to take on leadership roles in healthcare.

Floor: 2

Fun Fact: This particular Department of Academic Nursing is old (established in 1942) and excellent! The program is ranked seventh in Nurse Anesthesia programs by U.S. News & World Report and is one of the few advanced nursing degrees in the U.S. that lives within a School of Medicine.

What They Add to the Ecosystem: The medical community is already a big draw to Winston-Salem, but having prestigious programs like this one helps bring top professionals in their field here to teach, learn or work.

Taking Things to the Next Level

Come back out to the lobby, and look for the stairs that run around the atrium. We’ll take those stairs up to the next floor, which is the third floor of the building, and if you head left you’ll find two of the major tenants of this floor. 

Mediahub

Many of the offices that overlook the atrium with large glass windows belong to Mediahub, which is a global media agency that serves a variety of recognizable brands from cruise lines to sports networks. Mediahub (formerly known as MullenLowe) has been part of 525@vine almost from its opening, infusing the iQ with creative-types of various kinds for many years. 

Floor: 3

Fun Fact: Mediahub was named Adweek’s U.S. Media Agency of the Year in 2024. 

What They Add to the Ecosystem: This international agency is part of the larger IPG Mediabrands global network, bringing Winston-Salem into the conversation with larger cities like New York City, London, and Hong Kong. 

CJMW Architecture 

Adjacent to the Mediahub offices, you’ll find the offices for CJMW Architecture, an architecture and interior design firm that has been a part of the Winston-Salem landscape for over a hundred years. CJMW Architecture works in a variety of areas, specializing in hospitality, senior living, higher education, healthcare, and corporate design. 

Floor: 3

Fun Fact: CJMW’s Interior Design Studio worked with the Innovation Quarter to design the Turbine Hall of Bailey Power Plant, which now houses Sparq Coworking. They also designed offices for Whiting Turner and Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the 525@vine building and are involved in several ongoing renovations within the IQ.

What They Add to the Ecosystem: CJMW has designed many landmark buildings in Winston-Salem, including Graylyn, Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), the Roger L. Stevens Center for the Performing Arts, and more recently the Winston-Salem Dash Truist Stadium, Forsyth County Courthouse, and the interiors for the Hotel Indigo Winston-Salem. 

The View from the Top 

If you go right off of the stairs, you’ll see signs for a couple of tenants that occupy most of the top two floors of the 525@vine building–and they’re both in the Wake Forest School of Medicine family. To get to those groups, though, you’ll want to take the elevators, since the atrium staircase ends here. You could find another staircase, but take the elevators and try to hop on the bays to the right, which have full length windows with a view of the atrium. 

Division of Public Health Sciences–Wake Forest University School of Medicine

On the fourth floor, you’ll find the main hub of offices for the Division of Public Health Sciences. Many of us couldn’t guess what Public Health Sciences (PHS) actually does, but this academic division is a strategic one, focused primarily on research and understanding trends. The statisticians, doctors, and scientists who are part of PHS often overlap with a wide range of clinical and research entities across the School of Medicine. PHS encompasses many tools, but most notably they use computational models and large datasets to assess the past or make predictive models for the future, all with the goal of improving the health of populations and preventing disease. 

Floor: 3-5

Fun Fact: Wake Forest’s Public Health Sciences division has been around for over 35 years!

What They Add to the Ecosystem: There are many faculty who are appointed in Public Health Sciences, and they all add expertise to the local ecosystem on a wide variety of research topics. The scientific discoveries made through that research can impact the care that patients get, locally and beyond, as well as influencing national policies. 

Physician Assistant Program–Wake Forest University School of Medicine 

Jump back into the elevator and head to the top floor.  As soon as you get off the elevator, you’ll see the Physician Assistant (PA) program lobby. But don’t think this floor is just offices, beyond those card readers, there’s a whole wing dedicated to immersive education, including a lecture hall, microscope labs, small group workspaces, and clinical practice rooms. This 24-month program uses an inquiry-based learning method to equip physician assistants who will provide compassionate care for patients, not only in primary care but also in specialities like otolaryngology, cardiology, emergency medicine, and others. In addition to the traditional PA program, they also offer an online Doctor of Medical Science degree for working PAs who want to deepen their expertise in research, medical education, or healthcare leadership.  

Floor: 5

Fun Fact: The PA program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine has consistently ranked among the top 20 programs in the country by U.S. News and World Report. 

What They Add to the Ecosystem: The program attracts students from all over the country who bring invaluable medical care to wherever they land–and many of them land in the Winston-Salem areas!

From Top to Bottom 

We’ve reached the top of the building, but we’re not quite done with our tour. Jump back into that elevator, grab those cars with the windows again, and get the full view of the building from top to bottom. When you get to the first floor, cross the atrium and head past the stairs. There’s a winding hallway back there, where there are a few groups that we don’t want to miss. 

Biomedical Graduate Programs–Wake Forest School of Medicine

As you walk down the hallway, ahead you’ll spot an office suite for the Biomedical Graduate Programs of Wake Forest School of Medicine. This program is the umbrella over all the biomedical graduate programs–from biomedical engineering to cancer biology to genetic counseling–that are offered through Wake Forest University. If you are a student at the School of Medicine and you’re not training to be a MD, DNP, or a PA, there’s a good chance your program is based out of here. Overseeing hundreds of graduate students, the team that lives on this floor is a vital part of educating the next generation of researchers and innovators by providing infrastructure for moving students from recruitment to conferment

Floor: 1

Fun Fact: Over 40% of students in the Biomedical Graduate Programs are from under-represented minority categories in STEM fields.

What They Add to the Ecosystem: The programs overseen by the Biomedical Graduate Programs educate the future of scientific research, the individuals that will make the next big discovery, spearhead the next groundbreaking study that changes healthcare. The impact of these students’ future careers is far-reaching. 

Cushman & Wakefield Property Management

Just outside the Biomedical Graduate Programs office, the hallway will fork. Take a quick jaunt to the right and you’ll find Cushman & Wakefield. You can’t see much of that space–just a door–but Cushman and Wakefield is where a lot of the magic of the iQ happens. As property managers for the iQ, they orchestrate a lot of the administrative tasks and communication that keeps things ticking. Whether coordinating with facilities or security, planning events, or making sure tenants know what to do in inclement weather, this team may be tucked away, but they are never far from the day-to-day happenings often taken for granted. 

Floor: 1

Fun Fact: Cushman & Wakefield was incorporated over 100 years ago in New York, and one of the company’s major milestones was becoming project developer for the Sears Tower in Chicago. 

What They Add to the Ecosystem: There wouldn’t be a functioning Innovation Quarter without Cushman & Wakefield. They manage many of the buildings in the iQ, but some of their staff also plays a large role in the programming that happens here, working behind the scenes to put on the iQ’s Tenant and Signature Events Series. 

DAWN Research at the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity 

Retrace your steps and when you get to the fork, go left this time and you’ll find the small but mighty office of the DAWN Research Study at the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity (MACHE). This research focuses on understanding genetic factors that influence the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The work of DAWN is dedicated to reducing disparities in Alzheimer’s disease risk and prevalence through community research and outreach, health education, and health literacy. 

Floor: 1

Fun Fact: Maya Angelou was a professor at Wake Forest University for over 30 years, and the center was named in honor of her passion for and advocacy around health equity. 

What They Add to the Ecosystem: The DAWN research study has a number of outreach efforts to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease in populations at higher risk for the disease. The DAWN team also collaborates with the J. Paul Sticht Center on Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention and regional faith institutions to create health ministries to benefit the health and well-being of the community.

It might seem counterintuitive, but there’s a reason this tour ends on the first floor. If you work your way back out to the first floor atrium, you’ll see an exit–a bank of glass doors leading out to the back of the building, on the opposite side of where you entered.

That will put you on the Long Branch Trail, a greenway that runs the length of the iQ. From there, you can visit many of the other buildings in the Innovation District or keep going to get glimpses through the fence of progress being made on phase II of the iQ. Keep your eyes open for the next walking tour–coming to a building near you!

If you’re interested in learning more about any of the 525@vine tenants or the many other businesses that call the iQ home, check out the iQ’s tenant directory.