Pepper Building

Winston-Salem, NC

Hotel Indigo, historically known as the Pepper Building, embodies the characteristic design concepts of the late 1920s, including classically influenced geometric Art Deco detailing. It was developed by the Gilmer Company and designed by prominent local architects, Northup and O’Brien to house a regional department store. When the Pepper Building was completed in October of 1928, it was known as the Davis-McCollum Department Store.

GBX Group worked with its development partner, Mayfair Street Partners, North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, Preservation North Carolina, and the National Park Service to revitalize the Pepper Building and bring it back to life as Hotel Indigo. The property was purchased in 2016 with initial interior work commencing in early 2017 that included making the building watertight, and removing old mechanical, electrical and plumbing materials. Full redevelopment began in the Fall of 2017 and was completed in April of 2019.

Today, the property is operated as the 75-room Hotel Indigo Winston-Salem Downtown – an IHG property. Local art lines the walls of the hotel, capturing the eclectic vibe of Winston-Salem’s heritage. The redevelopment of the Pepper Building is responsible for the creation of 55 full-time jobs and has an annual overall economic impact of $7.5 million.