Winston-Salem: Renaissance City

[Rafi]

As most on here know, Winston-Salem has improved drastically over the past 15 years as a city, with more restaurants, night life, etc than any time in the last 40 years. I've come across 3 articles in the past few weeks on the topic, with the most recent one today in Our State Magazine, entitled, "Winston-Salem, North Carolina's Renaissance City." I've pasted the articles below for those interested:

Politico: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/10/winston-salem-technology-tobacco-town-214377

Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-mariani/american-history-looms-la_b_12730438.html

Our State: https://www.ourstate.com/like-a-local-winston-salem/

I've also added the NY Times article from last year:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/r...ertakes-tobacco-in-winston-salem-nc.html?_r=0

 

[dot com]

I moved back to Winston in 2001, we were one of the first businesses in Albert Hall. Downtown was still crack ho heaven after dark. The Fourth Street reno went a long way. Four or five lanes one direction to the warehouses was ridiculous anyway. Foothills deserves some credit too for making that shitty club space presentable and stretching the "safe" area of Fourth a few blocks west.

 

[CantStandYa]

I saw a Winston-Salem State license plate frame the other day on I-95 in Delaware. Things are looking up!

 

[wfumike02]

Winston has become something of a model for economic development. I was at a work function with my wife, who works in economic development, a while back. When her boss found out I went to Wake he had all kinds of questions for me (most of which I couldn't answer since the majority of the improvements have come since I graduated).

 

[Diggitydeac]

I would encourage alums returning to W-S for any reason to try to stay downtown to appreciate the dramatic changes. There is still a lot of fill-in development needed and loitering is very pronounced on weekdays. However, the momentum is clearly visible and progress should continue. WF deserves props for leading the charge.