Winston-Salem often receives compliments on how beautifully historic it is. However, Winston-Salem had several massive urban renewal projects. I could show photographs of how the city looked in 1955 and many locals wouldn't recognize it. I wish the rowhouses demolished in the 1950s, Italianate and Second Empire Mansion District, and the demolished brick industrial buildings in today's IQ District were still there. Think of how amazing the IQ District (an Innovation District development by BioMed Realty) would be today, if all of the brick Victorian industrial buildings were still standing. I wish the retail block demolished for the courthouse was still there and the hotel (across the street) demolished for a concrete plaza was also still there. At one time, Old Salem and the CBD were connected with historic buildings. I thought I would share the Super Block (actually multiple city blocks). This became the Financial District.
Winston-Salem Super Block (Today's Financial District):
Demolition began in 1977. Web Ventures 100 (a Kentucky developer known for the Lexington Financial Center) proposed two all-glass skyscrapers and a water garden built over a massive underground parking deck. The first of the two skyscrapers would have an indoor greenhouse and glass elevators, looking down on the park. Piedmont Airlines (headquartered in Winston-Salem) helped move the project forward and paid for the beautiful water gardens. Only the first of the two skyscrapers was completed and the watergardens was built. Another developer proposed twin office towers, condos, retail, a rail streetcar connecting it to Old Salem, and a walking and bike path. The walking and bike path was completed. A developer from Texas proposed twin towers with a park, but it didn't move forward. Another developer proposed a 14-storey building, but it never moved forward. Later Wachovia would move the project forward again, with their headquarters and two or three other developers built-out remaining sites with office space.
The first building opened in 1987 and the multi-block project wasn't completely built-out until 2000. It has designs from Cesar Pelli, Pickard Chilton, and the watergarden was designed by the famous architects Zion & Breen Associates, known for their park designs in New York City.
Before: (I think it's 1882-1890s?)
Credit: Unknown?
After:
Credit: Me (in 2003?)
The 60 foot tall waterfall, designed to be seen from the expressway, looks similar to their waterfall in NYC's Paley Park:
Credit: Me (in 2003?)
The park was a success! It attracts people and is a great place to be. I also think the park attracted the office development. All of the buildings, except for two, are designed to be a part of the park and bike and walking path. The BB&T Headquarters is a United States example of a skyscraper in a park, for those interested in skyscrapers in a park developments. The park is named for the mayor at the time of demolition. It's Corpening Plaza Watergardens & Park. A marker recognizes the gift from Piedmont Airlines. What an amazing gift. It lights-up at night, too. I've seen everything from concerts to festivals to weddings in this park.
I can also share the Government District, Twin City Quarter, and IQ District, if anyone is interested. Urban Renewal projects in Winston-Salem actually called for demolishing most of the historic buildings downtown and even included a mall in today's Arts District. The Urban Renewal projects generated more tax revenue. It was mostly local residents who worked to stop the demolition.