Local Entrepreneur Brings Successful Raleigh Business To Greensboro

Downtown Greensboro is about to get some branding gloss and expertise from Raleigh as a local entrepreneur continues to make his mark on the center city.

Reporter Owen Covington writes about this newest revitalization project that will soon get underway in his cover story in the Triad Business Journal.

The new project at 111 W. Lewis St. being developed by Andy Zimmerman will be collaborating with HQ Raleigh, a similar — and successful — space that opened in Raleigh's downtown Warehouse District in spring 2012. In this week's Business Report, Covington tells Justin Catanoso the new project will be more than just a typical co-working space.

“HQ Raleigh has been down this road before, they have seen how to create this space and make it successful, and so they are going to be consulting with what is going to be HQ Greensboro in setting up the space, how to design it, how to set up the space, how to recruit and build a membership, as well as how to program it. It's more than providing a place to work. This is a place to collaborate between these two companies and users,” says Covington.

The project is one of many in downtown Greensboro that Zimmerman is behind. During the interview, Covington compares the revitalization efforts in downtown Greensboro to Winston-Salem.

“Greensboro is now keeping up with Winston-Salem. You look at these big ticket items in downtown, the performing arts center, LeBauer Park and then you see these other pieces sort of filling in, many of which are Andy Zimmerman's and it's really building some momentum, building some excitement,” says Covington. “You are going to see a lot more going on in downtown Greensboro in the coming years.”

The Business Report on 88.5 WFDD is a partnership with the Triad Business Journal. You'll find Owen Covington's story and more breaking business news at Triad.Bizjournals.com.

Justin Catanoso is director of the Journalism program at Wake Forest University and a regular contributor to 88.5 WFDD.