Over the past few months, we have heard so many grand announcements on various developments – from office buildings and restaurants to residential dwellings – coming to the Asheville area.
In case you’ve been busy and have skimmed over some of this groundbreaking news, here’s a quick catch-up session.
Asheville Brewing purchased the lot at 75 Coxe Ave. (beside their restaurant + brewery at 77 Coxe Ave.) last summer, and just announced a 50/50 partnership with The Orange Peel that will create the largest outdoor concert venue in Asheville, with a capacity for 3,000 people. Events will include large + more intimate shows, al fresco movies, family-friendly events (like “Shakespeare on the Slope) + more. The first performances should begin in March.
- Asheville Proper, 1 Page Ave., Stuie 151 (inside the Grove Arcade)
Helmed by former Storm Rhum Bar chef Owen McGlynn, Asheville Proper will focus on live-fire cooking and sustainably-sourced meat + seafood. Food will be cooked on custom grills over wood-fired flames, and all cooking will happen in an open kitchen – so visitors can be in on the delicious action. Look for menu items like New York strips, double-cut pork chops, cowboy ribeyes + more.
We don’t know too much about this project yet – but the plans call for a three-story building (an additional story will be added to the existing structure) with a rooftop deck + pool. Check out more about the developer here.
On the first floor of the historic Citizen-Times building (which opened in 1939), this vinyl pressing plant will also include an independent record store, music venue, cafe + bar headed by founder Gar Ragland (CEO of NewSong music), Charlie Hodge (of Sovereign Remedies, Ole Shakey’s + Asheville Beauty Academy), Susannah Gebhart (of OWL Bakery), and Graham House (Executive Chef at Sovereign Remedies). No opening date has been announced yet, but we’ll keep you posted.
This controversial development was a hot topic in the past year. Last June, City Council approved the project, which will convert the historic 1927 building into a 71-room boutique hotel with a restaurant, speakeasy basement bar, and rooftop bar, and will include some commercial space on its second level. The Flatiron previously contained retail + office space for small businesses. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2020.
Scheduled to begin in January, the project includes stormwater improvements, street resurfacing, sidewalk replacement, sanitary sewer replacement, and new street amenities on Haywood St. downtown. It should be wrapped up by fall 2020. The City is also planning to redo the area around Haywood St. and Page Ave. known as the “Pit of Despair.”
Local nonprofit Hola Community Arts will open a Latinx cultural center in Hendersonville’s Jackson Park that will feature exhibitions from local + national artists, a performance studio, classes + events. The Henderson County Board of Commissioners approved the project in November; no opening date has been announced.
Homeward Bound of WNC is working to create affordable housing by renovating + expanding a building at Short Michigan Ave. into 14 apartment buildings for the homeless. The project is funded through the City of Asheville and includes a housing trust fund loan, foundation support + a HUD grant. The development will serve people living below 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) who have significant case management needs.
Set to open next spring in the historic S&W building, Asheville’s first food hall (think a mix of artisan restaurants rather than chains) will feature food curated by Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani and Buxton Hall BBQ, as well as a beer program + taproom from Highland Brewing. There will also be a special event space for up to 40 people.
Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s (ABCCM) project to offer transitional + long-term housing to women and children is scheduled to open in January with a village constructed over 24 acres. The first phase of the village will welcome 100-150 women + children. Residents will also have access to programming, including life + job training. State Employees’ Credit Union awarded $1.5 million to the project in November.
Disclaimer: This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all of the developments in the Asheville region. If there is a development that has been announced in the last 30 days that you feel should be included, please let us know in the comments below.
With all of the development happening across Asheville, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with what is opening when, where new businesses are being built, and what companies are coming to town.
If there’s a construction project you would like to learn more about – let us know in the comments below + we’ll grab our hard hats. 👷
