Winston Salem Journal

WINSTON-SALEM — A six-story office building will be the first phase of mixed-use development outside Winston-Salem’s new downtown baseball stadium, team officials announced Tuesday night.

At a reception for about 200 business leaders in the city, Billy Prim, owner of the Warthogs — who will be renamed once they move downtown next year — and owner of Primo Properties said the first two floors of the 118,000 square foot, to be built behind the stadium’s right field wall, building will be open by the first game next April.

Craig Davis Properties and Commercial Realty Advisors are assisting Primo Properties in the joint venture, to be called One Ballpark Center.

Prim said the building has received commitments for 42,500 square feet of space, including offices for the team’s headquarters and a team store.

Prim also said a restaurant has signed on for the concourse level right, but he declined to name specifically any of the tenants.

The first 32,000 square feet of the building will be ready by Opening Day next year. The remainder will be complete by the first game of 2010, Prim said.

Developers hope the $22.6 million stadium will attract about $189 million in investments in the area which sits just off Business 40 near Peters Creek Parkway.

While the street level may include some retail, he said the Class A office suites for businesses will start at about 5,500 and be available for purchase, probably in the range of $200 to $225 per square foot.