Winston‑Salem residents will see a new mixed‑use development on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive after the City Council voted 8‑0 on Nov. 2 to approve a revised plan for Ram’s Pointe. The vote retains $400,000 in city financing, extends the project’s completion deadline to Dec. 31, 2029, and authorizes the city manager to negotiate the necessary contracts, according to the WS Chronicle.
MTB3 Properties will replace an earlier apartment‑and‑retail proposal with 11 for‑sale townhomes and two retail bays at 310 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Two of the homes are set aside for households earning no more than 80 % of the area median family income, a requirement backed by the Affordable Housing Coalition. The developers estimate the total cost of the project at about $4.61 million.
The General Government Committee split evenly (2‑2) on Oct. 12 and forwarded the request without a recommendation. Council members Regina Hall and Vivián V. Joiner supported the committee motion, while Denise D. Adams and Barbara Hanes Burke opposed it. All four voted for the revised plan when it reached the full council, with Joiner moving the approval and Hall seconding the motion.
East Ward council member Annette Scippio said the development will expand homeownership and business activity in historic East Winston. Burke, who grew up near the site, noted a conversation with the Bakers helped her understand the proposal. Hall highlighted letters of support from a contractor, a lender, and the Affordable Housing Coalition, while Adams, the mayor‑pro‑tem, praised the shift to homeownership and asked for monthly reports on city‑supported projects.
Housing Development Director Michael Blair clarified that the city’s $400,000 assistance is structured as a 20‑year, interest‑only loan at 2 %. The loan will be disbursed in two equal installments tied to construction milestones and certificates of occupancy, with final payment terms to be set in the implementing agreements. The developers have engaged True Homes and secured a line of credit from Blue Harbor Bank.
Earlier versions of the project called for 30 apartments and six retail units in 2021, later revised to 24‑28 apartments before the current townhome plan. Delays have been attributed to soil remediation, engineering work, and pandemic‑related cost increases. National construction‑material prices rose 20 % in July 2021 compared with the prior year, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ materials‑for‑construction index was about 45 % higher in September 2026 than in December 2019.
The project aligns with the East End Master Plan endorsed in Nov. 2018, which calls for mixed‑income housing, local business ownership, and stronger connections to downtown, the Innovation Quarter, and Winston‑Salem State University. Ram’s Pointe is intended to provide those connections along the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridor.
Affordability provisions require the two restricted homes to become income‑restricted rentals if they remain unsold six months after receiving certificates of occupancy. The Affordable Housing Coalition recommended 15‑year affordability protections, annual monitoring, and resale requirements for the ownership units.
What’s next: The project still needs rezoning approval, which will be reviewed by the council after a period of community engagement. Developers are also negotiating with nearby property owners to secure overflow parking for future residents.
Sources: wschronicle.com
