zalo

Richard Craver/Winston-Salem Journal reports: Wake Forest Innovation Quarter was recognized Tuesday as among the nation’s best examples of historic rehabilitation projects for 2014 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Trust Community Investment Corp. The groups said their awards “highlight exemplary” historic rehabilitation projects that utilized the federal historic tax credit to revitalize America’s cities and small towns. The project winners represent “outstanding examples of how the historic tax credit can drive economic development and community revitalization.” The downtown Winston-Salem research park was recognized foremost for the $103 million Plant 90 renovation project that redeveloped three former R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. warehouses into a mixed-use facility of 473,900 square feet. The campus includes the headquarters for Inmar Inc., as well as several office, retail and research laboratory space. The project used state and federal historic tax credits and new markets tax credits to help finance the devel-opment.

I'm already on a low sodium diet.

That's funny. I would have thought that they would have gone into the Greensboro Triumph Center. That's good news for Friendly. After looking at their current store locations, GSO is a natural next step to grow their brand in North America.

Looks like Lowes Foods is getting assertive about staking their claim in the food store wars. They have done a great job on their new format and looks as though shoppers are responding positively. The grocer plans to move into the Greenville, S.C., market in 2016, the first of up to four new geographic markets it will add by 2019. Multiple stores are planned for Greenville. The four-year growth effort will include rebranding 2.5 million square feet of existing store space and building new stores with as much as 1 million to 1.5 million square feet. Following a 2014 that saw the rebranding of 10 stores and construction of three new ones, Winston-Salem-based Lowes Foods announced plans to continue that aggressive growth by expanding its footprint in 2015 and beyond. http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2015/02/27/lowes-foods-planning-to-add-dozens-of-new-stores.html?page=all

The Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership took the opportunity on a cold winter day during their annual meeting to describe how hot the revitalization initiative has been the past 15 years. The nonprofit group listed 88 downtown investment projects since 2000 that have either been completed, are under way or for which a firm commitment has been made. The combined capital investment value is $1.23 billion, topped by the $106 million spent on Wake Forest BioTech Place and the $100 million commitment by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center toward a major medical education facility. Both buildings are in Wake Forest Innovation Quarter. There is a detailed list describing each project with greater detail. Its good to get a consolidated listing of what all has occurred since the turn of the new century to reflect how much has actually been accomplished. http://www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/more-than-billion-spent-on-downtown-since/article_e60aef18-bc55-11e4-8258-7f23cc2adb2b.html

The TBJ reports: Winston-Salem ranks 105th and Greensboro-High Point ranks 142nd in a new analysis of the labor markets of the largest 150 U.S. metropolitan areas. The inaugural Labor Market 150 Index presented by CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists International relies on "several historical and leading indicators that measure the overall dynamism and balance" of the labor markets, according to CareerBuilder and EMSI. Factors include employment levels, unemployment rates, job listings growth and "the abundance of high-paying new jobs." Here's how North Carolina's metros rank nationally: Raleigh — No. 3 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia — No. 38 Durham-Chapel Hill — No. 39 Winston-Salem — No. 105 Asheville — No. 116 Fayetteville — No. 119 Greensboro-High Point — No. 142 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton — No. 149 According to the index, Provo-Orem, Utah, is the country's No. 1 labor market.

The TBJ reports on one of Winston's Fortune 500 companies continues with the rollout of its successful next generation product. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., a subsidiary of Winston-Salem-based Reynolds American Inc., said it has completed the final wave of expansion for its VUSE digital vapor cigarette, increasing the brand's presence to about 100,000 retail outlets nationwide. The company began national distribution of VUSE last year after launching the product in test markets in Colorado and Utah. "We are pleased with the brand's success to date, and are excited that this final wave of expansion will provide even more adult smokers with a quality alternative to traditional cigarettes in our continuing mission to transform tobacco," said Fred Ampolini, president of R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. In an earnings announcement earlier this week, Susan M. Cameron, CEO of Reynolds (NYSE: RAI), outlined progress in the company's "tranforming tobacco strategy," including: The addition of four styles of digital vapor cigarettes. The start of the national expansion of Niconovum USA's ZONNIC nicotine replacement therapy gum. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.'s launch of REVO, which uses heat-not-burn technology, in Wisconsin. "Our companies' innovative new products across categories are enhancing prospects for commercial success in an evolving marketplace, while also underscoring our commitment to reducing the harm caused by tobacco," she said. Last year, Reynolds said it was adding 200 jobs to its Tobaccoville manufacturing complex to support production of VUSE. About 70,000 square feet within the 2 million-square-foot facility will be dedicated to VUSE production. Reynolds plans to keep VUSE as part of its $27.4 billion merger with Greensboro-based Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO), whose blu eCigs brand would be sold to Britain's Imperial Tobacco.

This story from the TBJ begs the question: Will W-S or Triad gain a good number of jobs from this merger? Residents of Lititz, Pa., have a question on their minds: What will Winston-Salem-based BB&T Corp. do once it's finished acquiring Susquehanna Bancshares Inc., which is headquartered in the borough? About 500 Susquehanna (NASDAQ: SUSQ) employees work in downtown Lititz, LancasterOnline reported. The assessed value of the bank's properties in the area is about $6.9 million. The fate of the workers and real estate is "the million-dollar question," Karen Weibel, president of the Lititz Borough Council, told LancasterOnline. Susquehanna is a key employer in a borough with a population of about 9,400. Brian Davis, spokesman for BB&T (NYSE: BBT), told me this week that his company was "still working on the details" of the merger and had no announcement regarding Lititz. BB&T announced in November that it would acquire Susquehanna, a top 50 U.S. bank, in a $2.5 billion cash and stock transaction. The acquisition will boost BB&T's Mid-Atlantic presence, as Susquehanna has 245 banking offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland. The deal is expected to be completed this year. The merger is expected to bring job cuts and facility closures as BB&T seeks to reduce Susquehanna's expenses by 32 percent, or $160 million a year. To partially make up for the losses, BB&T will set up a $10 million foundation in Lancaster, Pa., a few miles from Susquehanna's headquarters. But residents and local officials are still waiting to hear what will happen in Lititz. As Weibel told LancasterOnline: "Everybody's dying to know."

http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu27/rmhpmi/7FDD2F71-8140-4FB9-8A84-3F7A56DA2406-143-000000300546C185_zps721c8d33.jpg

Really hated to hear about this outcome for this bio-tech firm that had they made some viable progress could have been a strong growing company with the potential of putting Winston & the Triad on the map. It would have been awesome to see this WFIQ concern growing into to hundreds of employees downtown. http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2014/12/30/tengion-came-back-from-the-brink-multiple-times.html?page=all

A new report puts three North Carolina cities among the top 35 most liveable cities for people 35 and under, as reported by the Triangle Business Journal. Winston-Salem ranks No. 22 on the list, which is based on research website Vocativ's mining of data related to salary and employment rates, rent and utility costs, and lifestyle factors like public transportation, weather, restaurant prices and crime statistics. The site also factored in access to live music and sports. Finally, presumably because of the age of the population being studied, Vocativ also considered the price of "an ounce of high-quality weed." Charlotte ranks No. 30 and Raleigh ranks No. 31. The top 10 cities are New York; Arlington (Texas), San Francisco, Denver, Austin, Minneapolis, Seattle, St. Paul, Madison (Wisconsin) and Portland (Oregon). http://www.vocativ.com/interactive/culture/society/livability-index-2014/

Here's the segment from from last nights The Daily Show on Mary Haglund's Winston-Salem restaurant. Pretty funny stuff... http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/3v7epb/discriminatory-diner-discounts?utm=share_twitter

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center CEO Dr. John McConnell announced Monday the relocation of the Wake Forest School of Medicine's main campus to a new $100 million home in downtown. That home within Wake Forest Innovation Quarter is the first major construction project for the medical school in 50 years, and continues the development of the downtown research park as a hub for medical education. The project continues the partnership between the medical center and Baltimore-based Wexford Science + Technology. “The introduction of this prestigious institution into the Innovation Quarter is further validation that it is one of the top knowledge-based communities in the U.S.” said Daniel Cramer, Wexford’s senior vice president of development. "Obviously the influx of these young students and the vibrancy they bring will amplify what's already here," said Eric Tomlinson, president of Wake Forest Innovation Quarter and chief innovation officer for the quarter. "It will become a role mode for the U.S." The new medical school will be housed in the so-called "60s series" buildings, which were formerly part of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.'s manufacturing operation in downtown and are a third phase of redevelopment of RJR buildings. The 283,000-square-foot U-shaped complex on Vine Street north of East Fourth Street will include close to 170,000 square feet in the northern half for the medical school, with the remaining 115,000 square feet for a mixture of retail, office and laboratory space. “We will soon be introducing a leading-edge medical education curriculum that will prepare our highly qualified students to become outstanding physicians, and thus we must have the appropriate facilities to accommodate current learning and teaching styles and space to grow.” The new medical education building adds to the growing synergy among the city’s academic institutions and supports technological collaboration, entrepreneurial opportunities and community involvement as well as social, economic and professional growth to its residents. President, of Wake Forest Innovation Quarter and Chief Innovation Officer, of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Eric Tomlinson, D.Sc., Ph.D., said, “The addition of Wake Forest Baptist’s medical education program to the rapidly expanding Innovation Quarter marks a further milestone in our development as a leading hub for innovation in biomedical science and information technology with an emphasis on research, education, business and product development. The vibrancy of the growing student base here demands the Innovation Quarter be ready for their presence with opportunities for further learning, accommodation and recreation. We will be ready.” http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2014/12/08/addition-of-wake-forest-medical-school-continues.html?page=all http://www.innovationquarter.com/news-events/wake-forest-baptist-build-new-medical-education-facility-wake-forest-innovation-quarter/

Mary's Gourmet Diner will be on an episode of The Daily Show w/ Jon Stewart regarding the policy in which discounts were sometimes given to people the wait staff saw giving thanks for their meals. It appears that show producers are sympathetic to Mary Haglund's side of the issue. One I share. That was a huge case of the Freedom From Religion Foundation making a mountain out of a very small mole hill. :roll: http://www.journalnow.com/relishnow/fil ... 4fc4f.html

A café, outdoor reading garden, 308-seat auditorium, “technology petting zoo” — those are all part of the concept for a renovated Forsyth County Central Library on Fifth Street. The front entrance would lead to a central area – called the marketplace – with computers, new reading materials and more. Glass panels would allow people to see into the second and third floors. The children’s library would be to the left, with a connected outdoor program space. To the right would be a 308-seat auditorium, other event space and a café. An open computer lab and computer learning center would also be available on the first floor, as would the “technology petting zoo,” which would allow customers to test out various devices. The North Carolina Room would take up a large portion of the second floor and would be given state-of-the-art climate control. Teen Central would be in one area of the floor, and administrative offices in another. Maker Space would also be provided, where people could come to create anything from a traditional craft to a video. The general collection would be on the third floor, where windows would provide surrounding views of the city and a covered roof terrace of Pilot Mountain to the north. Hal Bowen, principal in charge for Ratio Architects, said “It’s not going to look anything like the existing library,” http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/new-library-will-have-auditorium-cafe/article_c704043c-8080-529e-8b0e-64ed0e1b29e2.html?mode=story

The N.C. Humanities Council is moving its administrative offices to Charlotte from Greensboro, its home since it was formed in 1972. Paula Watkins, the council's executive director, will move to Charlotte, while the council's four other staff members declined to move and will not be employed by the organization, effective Jan. 31, when it will open its new offices in the Center City campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Council officials said the move aims to take advantage of opportunities for organizational development and collaboration in Charlotte. "Charlotte is the state's most dynamic metropolitan market, increasingly cosmopolitan and home of vibrant business, education and cultural sectors," Neva Specht, chair of the council's board of trustees and senior associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian State University, said in a statement. "Although based in Charlotte, the Council will remain a statewide organization dedicated to providing excellent humanities initiatives in all 100 counties in North Carolina," she said. http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2014/12/04/nonprofit-relocating-to-charlotte-from-greensboro.html?page=all

The TBJ reports that nearly two years after closing on the purchase of the Pepper Building and adjacent lot in downtown Winston-Salem, veteran developer Mike Coe is starting demolition on the property and plans to begin redevelopment by spring. The project at 104 W. Fourth St. Street will include 53 apartments, a Brazilian steakhouse and a speakeasy run by a local woman with roots in Amsterdam, Coe said in an interview this week. The cost could top $14 million, he said. A key feature of the property's redevelopment will be a two-level parking garage in the adjacent lot at 110 W. Fourth St. At least one level of the parking deck would be underground, Coe said. The entire deck would be topped by green space intended to match the city-funded Merschel Plaza park at the corner of Fourth and Liberty streets.

There will be an updated addendum to the article announcing that Greensboro is yes indeed located in the center between Durham & Winston.

Winston-Salem is the No. 1 city of its size in the "2014 Digital Cities Survey" by the Center for Digital Government. It's a survey of how well local governments use digital technology. This year's survey focused on "which initiatives cities were most proud of in the areas of citizen engagement, policy, operations, and technology and data," according to a press release from the Folsom, Calif.-based organization. Winston-Salem was the top city among those with a population of 125,000 to 249,999. Durham was tied for fourth place with Hampton, Va., in the same category. Other North Carolina cities in the ranking included Raleigh, tied for No. 5 with Riverside, Calif., in the 250,000-plus population category, and Greenville, tied for second with Ann Arbor, Mich., in the 75,000-125,000 category. The top-ranked cities "brought about impressive change across all aspects of government by leveraging information technology investments to expand open government, citizen participation and shared services," said Todd Sander, executive director of the Center for Digital

Somehow I seem to doubt it.

Per the TBJ. This is a major expansion for the bank. BB&T Corp. has agreed to acquire Susquehanna in a $2.5 billion cash and stock transaction. Headquartered in Lititz, Pa., Susquehanna is a top 50 bank in the United States with $18.6 billion in assets, $13.6 billion in deposits and 245 banking offices in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and West Virginia. The acquisition will significantly increase the footprint of Winston-Salem-based BB&T (NYSE: BBT) in the Mid-Atlantic region. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval. BB&T plans to establish three new banking regions encompassing certain markets in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. BB&T also plans to integrate its Baltimore region with Susquehanna's. These four regions are expected to be led by Susquehanna executives. Susquehanna Chairman and CEO William J. Reuter and Director Christine Sears will join BB&T's board of directors when the deal closes. "We look forward to being a part of BB&T's storied franchise," Reuter said. "BB&T's expanded product offerings and resources combined with a stronger balance sheet will enable us to better serve our clients, associates and communities." Under the terms of the agreement, Susquehanna shareholders will receive $4.05 in cash for each share of Susquehanna common stock. The merger consideration is valued at $13.50 per share based on the average closing price of BB&T over the 45 trading days ending on November 10, 2014. "We are extremely excited to welcome our new clients and associates in these attractive markets to BB&T. Susquehanna's culture, commitment to its communities and business model are a strong fit with BB&T," said BB&T Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kelly S. King in a statement.

Well what do you know? Pigs are flying over Winston. Never thought I would live to see the day

Lynn Felder/Winston-Salem Journal: The City of Arts and Innovation will soon have its first art park, appropriately situated between the Downtown Arts District and Wake Forest University’s Innovation Quarter, Derwin Montgomery announced Thursday at the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership’s annual luncheon. Montgomery represents the East Ward on the Winston-Salem City Council. Art for Art’s Sake (AFAS), a nonprofit group, is spearheading the creation of an art-themed public park, ARTivity on the Green. It will cost about $2 million, according to Harry Knabb, AFAS chairman and chief executive. Ground will be broken Dec. 1, with completion expected by May 2015, Knabb said. The location and design of the park are intended to create a vibrant and entertaining link between Innovation Quarter and the downtown Arts District, and will incorporate a variety of features. Red lines will be potentially set into the sidewalks around the green space to lead visitors into the park. The red lines will meander to create raised setting elements and raised entry portals for art displays. Located at the center of the park, the red lines will converge to thrust upward 50 feet, and create 13 masts that will periodically emit vapor to create illuminated fog formations — a visual nod to the city’s industrial past. Other features planned for the park are an “artist performance shelter,” sculpted from silvery steel bands, and a concrete mural wall designed to serve as a constantly evolving canvas for local artists. http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/city-to-get-first-art-themed-public-park/article_de0b9f11-b555-5e8a-be26-a9c3904f53aa.html?mode=image&photo=1

The W-S Journal has a update on Mast Gnl. Store. There's a link w/ pictures: Mast General Store Inc. has set May for the opening of its store in downtown Winston-Salem. Mast General Store plans to use as much of the building’s original flooring as possible. The original wood floors are stamped “Biltmore Lumber Co. Pisgah National Forest.” Mast General Store is going into the bottom two floors of the former Coe Plaza at 516 N. Trade St. The store will have a main entrance off Trade Street, and a second entrance from the parking deck at Sixth, Cherry and Trade streets. Downstairs will house the outdoor and shoe departments. Village Lofts, a 48-unit apartment complex, is under development above Mast General Store. A model apartment opened in September and all apartments will be ready by Nov. 15, said Jeff Prioreschi, a principal owner of developer US Development. Village Lofts’ main entrance is at 511 N. Cherry St. Residents will also have access to the apartments from the first and second floors by way of the parking deck. Mast General Store bought the 64,000-square-foot T-shaped property on Trade, Fifth and Cherry streets, and will operate the building through a joint partnership with US Development and Mashburn Construction of Columbia, S.C. City Plaza LLC, which is owned by the principals of US Development and Mashburn Construction, will own the apartments. The Winston-Salem City Council approved a $1.27 million incentive package for the project in September 2012. Built in 1928, the former Coe Plaza was originally home to the Brown-Rogers-Dixson Co. hardware store. The property is a contributing building in the Downtown North Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Terry Moore, facilities manager for Mast General Store, said that when renovations began on the new store, workers found offices, drop ceilings and carpet in the building. “To be able to come in and take what people have done over years and years and take it all back to what the building was when it was originally built is gratifying,” Moore said. “Even the storefront is going back. It’s as close to the original. We’ve got all the original pictures from the Brown-Rogers-Dixson hardware company that was here.” The retailer’s new store in Winston-Salem will have 15,000 square feet of retail space and 30 employees. It is designed to mimic the feel of an old-fashioned country store. Items include candy, rocking chairs made in North Carolina, tents, traditional fashion clothing, shoes, cookbooks and outdoor gear. Every Mast General Store has its own “little quirks and things that are a little bit different about it. We carry most everything you need for life, and we have something for everybody from 2 to 102.” She said that a lot of the inventory in the retailer’s Winston-Salem store will be similar to what is offered in other Mast Generals. But she said, “Then we’ll try to carry some things that are made in Winston-Salem or some things that would be more appropriate for the needs of the city.” http://www.journalnow.com/gallery/new-mast-general-store/collection_fc8aad9c-639e-11e4-93f7-0017a43b2370.html

I will give to you Boi, you have a strong grasp of the obvious.