Wake Forest Baptist to make announcement Monday; Medical school project in works?

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Courtesy of Wake Forest Innovation Quarter

A view of The Innovation Quarter from Fourth Street in Winston-Salem. The open area is the future site of Bailey Park. Beyond are some of the buildings within The Quarter, including Wake Forest Biotech Place.

Mark Sutter

Editor- Triad Business Journal

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Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center will hold a news conference Monday morning for what it calls "an important announcement."

Given the executives scheduled to be present, the announcement seems likely to involve a new construction project within The innovation Quarter, the massive mixed-used research and innovation complex located on the edge of downtown Winston-Salem.

The Quarter is owned by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, which — working with Baltimore-based developer Wexford Science + Technology — has been redeveloping property and buildings once home to the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

There has been some buzz that the Wake Forest School of Medicine could be poised to increase its presence within the park.

As the Triad Business Journal's Owen Covington reported earlier this year, the school's Division of Public Health Sciences and the Department of Physician Assistant Studies occupy more than half the space in the already renovated 525@vine building.

Further, a fiscal feasibility study was being undertaken to evaluate relocating more medical school operations to the park, possibly into a pair of still-to-be renovated former RJR buildings located just south of 525@vine.

There is a time element at work as well. To qualify for certain historic tax credits that will change at the end of the year — credits that already have been key to developing several projects within the park — work must start on new projects by year's end.

The news conference will be at 10 a.m. in the atrium of the 525@vine building.

Among those scheduled to be in attendance are John D. McConnell, CEO of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center; James W. Johnston, chair of the Wake Forest Baptist Capital Campaign; Daniel Cramer, senior vice president for development of Wexford Science + Technology; and Eric Tomlinson, president of Wake Forest Baptist Innovations and chief innovation officer of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Mark Sutter is responsible for managing the staff and the production of print and online news products. Contact him at 336-370-2895.