WRCP Properties LLC in Winston-Salem wants to develop a "green", mixed-used building called MINIM in downtown Winston-Salem.
"The whole building will be green, completely LEED-certified," said Rence Callahan, who owns WRCP with his business partners at Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce architectural firm. The firm's offices at Trader's Row on Trade Street are also certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design office project.
MINIM, a mixed-use project of residential and office condos and two small retail spaces, would be at the corner of West Fourth and Cherry streets. It would be developed where three buildings now stand: the former Legal Aid space, the former Baldwin real-estate office and the building where the Dill Pickle restaurant currently operates.
WRCP Properties has hired Howell Dunlap of Dwell Development Group LLC in Winston-Salem to manage the project.
MINIM's 17 residential condos would cost $151,900 to $532,500. Half of them would be less than $250,000, with square footage of 550 to 1,880.
Features would include high ceilings with recessed lighting, polished concrete floors, Energy Star appliances, large windows, recycling storage, water-saving toilets, and high-efficiency heating, cooling and lighting systems.
"This is minimal space," Dunlap said. "There are not a lot of extra finishes. It's only what you need. Your basic unit would come with a polished concrete floor. It's eco-friendly."
Callahan said that the 12,500-square-foot Legal Aid building would be renovated and updated. The other two buildings would be demolished to make way for a new 48,000-square-foot building with 11 floors and a mezzanine. The old and new buildings would connect as one structure with an elevator through its core.
There would be two retail spaces on the bottom level, five floors of office condos and five floors of residential condos.
WRCP Properties will primarily be aimed at young professionals.
Dunlap said that the developers want to offer the residential condos to people who are truly environmentally conscious, want to be in a LEED-certified building and want to practice what they preach.
The developers said that projects such as this one tend to take 2½ to 3 years to complete.
"If there are enough people here in Winston who want it, then we're ready to do it," Callahan said.
"We know it's the right thing. We just don't know whether it's the right thing right now."
The housing market is pretty tough right now, but Jason Thiel, the president of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, said that the green concept should help the project. He also said that the office and retail space could attract more residents, since the building would offer more than just housing.
The developer has reservations for about 40 percent of the office space and is now testing the waters for interest in green condos. The company invited 300 people who work and live downtown to a two-hour sneak preview of its plans yesterday at the Chatham Building.
Of the 25 or so people who showed up early on, several said they like the project's green concept.
Tim Jennings, who has a condo in Trader's Row, said he enjoys living, working and playing downtown and would be interested in a green condo.
"I think green building is definitely the wave of the future," Jennings said.
Mary Dossinger, who lives in the West End area, said that some green housing is expensive but likes the fact that the MINIM's condos would be reasonably priced.
Still, Dossinger said, in a tough economy, she would have to wait before she could consider buying one.
■ Fran Daniel can be reached at 727-7366 or at fdaniel@wsjournal.com.
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