Lou Baldwin serves as President of Baldwin Properties, specializing in the leasing, sales and management of commercial and investment real estate and real estate development consulting. In both his professional roles and his civic and community roles, Lou has dedicated himself to helping reenergize downtown.

The Nissen building on West Fourth street in downtown Winston-Salem Baldwin Properties worked with Historic Restoration Inc (HRI) in the acquisition of the Nissen Building and represented HRI in leasing the commercial space in this historic building, which now includes 145 luxury apartments and three restaurants. The Nissen Building rehabilitation is widely considered one of the most significant developments in the revitalization of downtown Winston-Salem.

Lou’s and Baldwin Properties’ efforts have included:

• Lou had the idea for and was the driving force in the creation of Downtown 101. Since its inception Lou has served as its facilitator and taught a section on commercial real estate and the economics of downtown. Baldwin Properties has also been the primary financial sponsor of Downtown 101.
• Lou also founded the Downtown Real Estate Roundtable. The Roundtable is now a major committee of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership (DWSP). Lou was appointed by the Mayor as a founding board member of the Winston-Salem Downtown Development Corporation in 1990 and served on that board until 1996, including service on the Executive Committee.
• Lou served on the committee, chaired by now Mayor Allen Joines, that recommended the merger of the DWSP and DDC to form the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership. Lou has served on many committees of the DWSP, the DDC and the DWSP over the past 20 years.
• Homelessness is an issue that effects downtown and our entire community. Lou served on Mayor Allen Joines’ Blue Ribbon Panel, which created the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and now serves on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness Commission, again by appointment of Mayor Joines.
• In other areas of service in our community, Lou has always been an strong advocate for downtown revitalization. This has included in his leadership in the Realtor organization, where has is a Past President of the Winston-Salem Association of Realtors and is currently a Vice President of the North Carolina Association of Realtors. As a past Governmental Affairs Chairman of the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, Lou has worked to keep downtown revitalization on the Chamber’s agenda.
• Lou was named one of the “50 Most Influential People in the Triad” by the Triad Business Journal in 2005 and also was named one of the Triad’s “40 Leaders Under 40” in 2003 and received the Winston-Salem Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Leader Award in 2004, in part due to his leadership in downtown revitalization.

The Spruce Street YMCA

Baldwin Properties managed the conversion of the Spruce Street YMCA from apartments to condominiums. Baldwin brokered the sale of 30 units, primarily to homeowners, representing the key first wave of homeownership during the era of downtown revitalization.

The Mellow Mushroom

Lou has been involved in the transactions that brought many restaurants to downtown including Downtown Thai, Mellow Mushroom, Skippy’s, Tate’s, Camino Bakery and others.

The Nash Building

Baldwin completed an award winning redevelopment of this downtown treasure in the 1990s.

The Shops on Fifth

Baldwin’s vision that this old tire store could be an asset in downtown redevelopment led to what is now the location of Bib’s.