You roar up to the teak double doors on your motorcycle—or Mini Cooper—and pull inside after a long day of meetings, BlackBerry texts and deal making. You eye the granite kitchen counter through the fire glass window and wonder if there’s a frosty in the fridge—or some cab in the built-in wine cooler under the granite counter. Either would take the edge off as you channel surf the flat screen over the gas fireplace. You’re livin’ the life, you’re the king of your castle, you’re as cool as Steve McQueen—because your castle is “the Steve McQueen,” one of the uberchic, brand-new units in the Von Leake Condominiums on North Main Street in downtown Winston-Salem.

Not bad for a place that probably started life as a feed-and-seed, and went on to house local glass artist John Kuhn’s studio. “It’s listed on the National Historic Register,” says contractor Bill Sinclair, co-owner of Maine Street Renovators, the company that’s been converting the unassuming brick building for the last couple of years. The name “Von Leake,” is a combination of names found on a 1937 deed. “It said, ‘the estate of Ed Vaughn and P.O. Leak,” explains Sinclair, who estimates the building dates as far back as 1907.

You have only to step into the unfinished space adjacent to the “Steve McQueen” to see what Sinclair and his partner, Darold DuMond, were up against: 13-foot-high ceilings of hammered tin, heart pine floors, and 14-inch-thick masonry. An old rope-pull elevator sits in the back of the space. “This actually looks good. We cleaned it out and gutted it,” says Sinclair, who is planning a much larger unit for the space and for the identical one above it. “Anybody could see what this is going to be,” he observes, but converting the adjacent space into “the Steve McQueen” was another matter. “It was pretty dank and there was a beat-up old slab that had to be removed,” recalls Sinclair.

The Starting Point:

“Dank” and “beat-up” gave way to sleek and beautiful, thanks to the contractor’s vision, which, he says was to go “above and beyond” some of the other high-end properties in downtown. Take a look at the interior craftsmanship, such as the mahogany interior doors and bamboo flooring—one of many Green features that also include and efficient HVAC system, tankless water heater, Energy Star appliances and use of natural lighting (note the transom over the main “shotgun” entrance next to the garage). Slate mosaic surrounds the fireplace—the same kind of slate used in the master bath across from a spacious bedroom that overlooks a private deck. The patio and secured parking are also features that set the Von Leake condos apart from other properties.

But if “the Steve McQueen” is a marvel of transformation, its counterpart in the back of the building is nothing short of a miracle. Sinclair recalls showing his architect the unfinished area: “The first thing he said was, ‘you’ve got to level this. We’ll make these parking spaces.’” Instead, Sinclair preserved the space, admitting that tearing down old buildings “breaks his heart,” and carved out a garage next to the two-bedroom unit that he dubbed “the Laverne & Shirley.” It’s a bit softer in ambiance with carpeting, exposed brick here and there, more traditional cabinetry and a pretty spiral staircase that leads up to a deck overlooking part of Winston-Salem’s skyline. It’s easy to imagine two single young professional gals living here and hosting a cookout. Maybe they’ll invite the young guy next door and his buddies. Then maybe they’ll all head over to Finnigan’s Wake or 6th and Vine for a drink and some laughs, ‘cause they’re livin’ the life. The downtown life.

“I like downtown,” observes Sinclair, whose other projects include Sweet Potatoes and Downtown Thai restaurants, and Foothills Brewing. “I want to stand behind it. Obviously, we’re putting our money where our mouth is.”

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Vendor List:
Framing Stud Walls – Garcia’s Framing High Point, NC 27265 T: 336-669-6874 / DryWall – Cirino Construction Co. Inc. Greensboro, NC 27405 T: 336-273-7595 / Plumbing – Danny Eaton Plumbing Trinty, NC T: 336-431-8119 / HVAC – Custom Systems Winston-Salem. NC T: 336-784-0614 / Electrical – Angler Electric & Service Co Winston-Salem, NC T: 336-765-5251