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The redevelopment of the 1001 building will bring together designers, engineers, artists, growers, makers, distributors, retailers, restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs to foster a culture of open innovation. The proposed activities in the space will include a shared-use commercial kitchen, and an incubator/accelerator program, shared textile labs and studios, a floral warehouse and shop, a virtual reality film studio, a social connection space, retail venues, service areas, event spaces, and community arts and wellness services. This diverse mix of uses is intended to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, resource sharing, and economic opportunities through workforce training and mentorship, which are particularly needed in the neighboring low-income census tracts and among the student populations at nearby universities.
Despite being continuously occupied, the building has significantly deteriorated over the past few decades and requires substantial rehabilitation to restore it to its former glory. Constructed in 1924, the building was used by The Bahnson Company—once a leading supplier of air handling and HVAC systems—for manufacturing and research and development until 1985. In that year, it was leased by the Winston-Salem Business and Technology Corporation and converted into a business incubator, the first of its kind in North Carolina. Although ownership of the Bahnson Company Building has changed hands multiple times since then and the structure has suffered considerable degradation, it has continued to provide essential services to entrepreneurs and small businesses in Winston-Salem.
The project team is now forming partnerships with local colleges and universities to host training programs within the building. Additionally, restaurant and food production tenants are encouraged to hire graduates from culinary workforce training programs, creating a self-sustaining cycle of success.