Concept plan for Haywood Street and Page Avenue properties headed to Asheville City Council 

 For a narrated video of the Haywood Street and Page Avenue Master Concept Plan, visit this link.     Following a series of community input and engagement activities this spring, the City of Asheville Department of Planning and Urban Design is pleased to release the Haywood Street and Page Avenue Master Concept Plan. The plan [...]

2017 in review: Bonds and RADTIP get off the ground, equity initiative begins and more

With 2017 nearly in the books, it’s time to take stock of City of Asheville initiatives and developments from the past year. Here are 10 initiatives that your City government got off the ground in 2017. We’ll have 2018 initiatives to look for in another roundup Jan. 1.   Bond projects began In November 2016, Asheville voters approved $74 million [...]

68 Haywood event applications open for the summer season

    Temporary uses and community programs will continue this spring and summer at 68 Haywood Street, a public gathering space across from the U.S. Cellular Center. This is an opportunity for craft fairs, food trucks and other special event organizers to set up in the heart of downtown.   The future development site was made available for public [...]

Asheville buskers, performance artists featured during the next Walkable Wall Street

October brings great weather for strolling, browsing local shops and listening to street musicians. You can do just that and more this month during the next Walkable Wall Street. On Oct. 15, the Asheville Buskers Collective, Fringe Festival and Asheville Area Arts Council will come together for an afternoon of performances, music and interactive art making [...]

Asheville City Council allocates funds for downtown cleanliness

  Keeping our downtown clean enhances it for everyone. During their Oct. 22 meeting, Asheville City Council approved a contract for WNC Landscaping to focus on Central Business District cleanliness. Specifically, the contractor will:         Pressure wash City-owned downtown sidewalks;         Keep those sidewalks clear of weeds;         [...]

Asheville holiday festivities kick-off Nov. 22, in time for the Holiday Parade on Nov. 23, and continue through the season 

    With the holidays around the corner, the City of Asheville is excited to promote several festive events around town that encourage families to enjoy the winter season while eating, shopping and celebrating the holidays in the city’s business districts. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive in Asheville Nov. 22 for the kick off of the

Asheville Holiday Parade to impact bus routes, include street closings

The Asheville Downtown Association’s annual Asheville Holiday Parade happens from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, in downtown Asheville. The parade route runs up Biltmore Avenue to Pack Square, then turns to go down Patton Avenue. Hundreds show up for this festive community event, so please plan ahead. There will be traffic and bus [...]

Asheville holidays feature expanded Winter Lights Downtown and ‘upcycled’ holiday wreaths

Asheville’s holiday season sparkles a little brighter this year, accented by some fresh décor. The City of Asheville is pleased to announce that its Winter Lights Downtown partnership with The N.C Arboretum will not only continue for a second year, but also expand. The City is also working with the Arboretum and the Asheville Downtown Association [...]

Asheville street performers brochure provides guidelines

Asheville guitarist Adi grooves at the Flat Iron sculpture, one of two high-impact areas identified for the City’s street performers pilot program.     From string bands to celestial hammered dulcimer sounds, music emanates from many downtown Asheville sidewalks. So much so, Asheville’s street performer scene is part of our brand as a city. Now a new brochure [...]

Asheville Streets Division to start downtown sidewalk projects in May

The chipped bricks will be history soon on a portion of College Street sidewalk. An ADA-compliant concrete sidewalk will be installed instead, wider than the structure there for pedestrians now.   “We’re going to get as much width as we can,” said Jerry Yates, Asheville Streets Operation Manager. The hope is to transform the 8-foot-wide sidewalk closer [...]

Asheville’s next Walkable Wall Street set for February 11

Event will have a theme of Love, Light and Community   Ready to experience downtown Asheville in a new way? On Feb. 11, the next installment in the Walkable Wall Street series happens. From 4 to 9 p.m. that day, the street will be temporarily closed to cars for a festive pedestrian experience. Walkable Wall Street is a collaborative [...]

AVL Shares Space extended to Jan. 3 with winter guidelines

    The City of Asheville will be extending the AVL Shares Space initiatives through Jan. 3, 2021, in order to continue providing businesses and organizations with opportunities to expand outdoors during COVID-19. In addition to the extension, new guidelines are being provided to participants that address winter-related accommodations and safety requirements.    The goals [...]

AVL Shares Space outdoor expansion to continue in 2021

  In response to the pandemic, earlier this year the City of Asheville created its AVL Shares Space outdoor expansion initiatives to support safe business operations and customer access in alignment with public health COVID-19 guidelines. Launched in spring 2020, its initial trial period was extended from Oct. [...]

Biltmore Garage to temporarily close on April 11 through April 25, alternate parking arrangements available

Update: The temporary closure of Biltmore Avenue Garage has been changed to April 11, 2023, through April 25, 2023. The Biltmore Avenue Garage will remain open to monthly parking permit holders and hourly parkers until April 11, 2023. The dates were changed due to a shortage in critical materials needed by the contractor to proceed [...]

Buncombe Street becomes 2-way as county garage opening nears

The new Buncombe County Parking Garage is expected to open towards the end of February or the first part of March. The garage is part of a new county building adjacent to Coxe Avenue.   As the new Buncombe County Parking Garage nears completion, City of Asheville Transportation Department staff recently established a new traffic pattern along [...]

City Council adopts Close the GAP Plan during October 25, 2022 meeting

Asheville City Council at the October 25, 2022 meeting, adopted the Close the GAP Plans.  There are 3 plans, done at the same time in order to strengthen the pedestrian network. The plans are the City of Asheville’s existing Greenway (G), ADA Transition (A), and Pedestrian (P) plans.  The planning process began [...]

City Council approves 1-year Asheville hotel moratorium 

    No hotel approval applications will go before City Council for a year, under a hotel moratorium approved by Council at their Sept. 24 meeting.   City staff will use this time to work with the Urban Land Institute Charlotte on a planning process to include two community engagement sessions, analysis of the hotel industry, assessment of impacts, [...]

City hires Dana Frankel as Downtown Development Specialist

In November 2015, Asheville City Council authorized a new Downtown Development Specialist position to provide the high level of coordination needed between City departments and downtown stakeholders. The City of Asheville is pleased to announce that Dana Frankel has been hired to fill this role. “The position will be the first point of contact for the downtown [...]

City of Asheville and Buncombe County postpone Art in Heart kick off due to weather

Pardon our Delay! Due to weather conditions this weekend, the kick off for Art in the Heart will be delayed. But don't worry, you'll still get a chance to see all the exciting art and local artists participating in the program.  Please keep checking our website, as we will update it with the new schedule.  

City of Asheville announces Biltmore Avenue Striping Plan

City of Asheville will take a phased approach to the addition of bike lanes on Biltmore Ave.   Addressing the public at City Council on August 23, City Manager Debra Campbell took time to clarify the delay to the plan and steps forward for the Biltmore restriping project, but also reiterated the City’s commitment [...]

City of Asheville announces the Carter St., Ann St., and Patton Ave. Stormwater Project to begin

The City of Asheville Public Works Department is pleased to announce the Carter Street, Ann Street and Patton Avenue stormwater project is about to get underway.  As the City begins making improvements to the area, you may encounter large equipment and other construction related impacts.  Preparations and initial work in the area is expected to take place [...]

City of Asheville asking for input on downtown public space management

    Downtown Asheville is buzzing with activity. The streets and sidewalks provide space for everyone and everything — from buskers and outdoor dining to shoppers, construction activity and more.   Since the City’s Downtown Master Plan was completed in 2009, there has been a lot of growth and increased activity downtown, including more demands [...]

City of Asheville expands flexibility for business use of sidewalks in addition to private lots

    The City of Asheville is committed to advancing ways of using space to support economic recovery and community needs while prioritizing public health and safety, and recognizes the importance of being flexible and nimble as needs and priorities evolve. In response to stakeholder input and public health guidance, the City is launching new initiatives to [...]

City of Asheville invites you to experience the latest art installation for Art in the Heart

Art in the Heart is a way to unite, heal, and strengthen the community. The goal is to use art to spark conversation and ideas on how to make Pack Square Plaza –a central gathering place and hub of activity for the region– a place that reflects Asheville’s diverse community. The program [...]

City of Asheville joins Buncombe County, MAHEC and Vaya for opioids community update

  According to recent statistics from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, opioid overdose deaths across North Carolina dropped for the first time in five years; yet the numbers from Buncombe County tell a different story.   Opioid use and overdose continue to impact our community in a number of ways. We’ve made progress but [...]

City of Asheville launches Community EMT Pilot Program downtown

  In response to feedback from downtown stakeholders about the need for increased resources to maintain a welcoming, safe downtown experience, the City of Asheville has launched a Community EMT Pilot Program.   The vision is for this six-week pilot program to integrate the roles of public safety official and medical responder into one team. Under this pilot [...]

City of Asheville launches curbside pick-up program and expands flexibility for business use of private lots

  With public health considerations guiding our work, the City is advancing ways to use shared public and private spaces differently to support economic recovery and other community needs.   Curbside Pick-up Zones The City of Asheville is launching shared Curbside Pick-up Zones to support local restaurants and retailers in more than 20 locations around the city. The Curbside [...]

City of Asheville launches online Development Portal as streamlined option for development review applications

Large construction projects continue to dot the downtown Asheville skyline. At right, the 45 Asheland Condominiums are under construction. At left in the background are the twin cranes erecting the Mission Hospital for Advanced Medicine addition.   Developers, online applications for development review have come to the City of Asheville. Now you can file your applications for development review from the [...]

City of Asheville launches online survey to guide drafting of hotel development regulations

    The City of Asheville Department of Planning & Urban Design is in the process of drafting a new ordinance to regulate hotel development, based on recommendations from the Urban Land Institute through a technical assistance panel public process and ongoing analysis.    As part of the public process, the City is conducting an online survey to engage [...]

City of Asheville launches shared streets and parklet programs

  The City of Asheville is continuing to support economic recovery by allowing businesses and organizations to use public and private properties more flexibly to align with public health guidelines.   As businesses, particularly restaurants, continue to work through capacity constraints and physical distancing guidelines, the City has launched Parklets and Shared Streets as tools to temporarily create [...]

City of Asheville releases revised hotel overlay map as part of updated development standards

Visit the revised Asheville hotel overlay map at this link: https://bit.ly/3abB4zn.   Over the last year, the City of Asheville Department of Planning and Urban Design has been developing revisions to the City’s hotel development standards, based upon recommendations from the Urban Land Institute and public input. This week, staff will begin presenting [...]

City of Asheville reminds businesses about safety requirements to operate outdoors 

More businesses and organizations are operating outdoors this year, due to COVID-19. The City of Asheville reminds those with outdoor areas to do their part to operate safely. Beyond wearing a mask and other public health measures, businesses that choose to operate outdoors must follow all building and fire-safety codes while using equipment like heaters [...]

City of Asheville resumes parking meter fees and enforcement

  Beginning Monday, June 1, the City of Asheville will resume collecting regular parking fees for on-street, metered parking.  Enforcement of fee payment will also resume.     Garage parking in City and County garages will remain free until further notice.  City monthly parking permit fees will also continue to be suspended until further notice.  Buncombe county monthly parking [...]

City of Asheville seeks applications for temporary programming at 68 Haywood Street

The City of Asheville has cleared gravel off the City-owned property at 68 Haywood Street and is making other modest improvements to make way for public access and temporary uses of this City-owned site. The City has now issued a “Request for Expressions of Interest,” seeking ideas for organizing temporary programs in the space. It [...]

City of Asheville shares FAQ about hotel development revisions

Thanks to everyone who has participated in the Hotel Development Survey.  We appreciate your Input!  Here are the answers to many of the questions that were  raised in the survey. Frequently Asked Questions Can the city ban hotels permanently? If someone does not like a particular land use or perceives a use to have negative impacts this does [...]

City of Asheville staff to present updated hotel development ordinance to Planning and Zoning Commission

    Following two City Council work sessions, the City of Asheville Department of Planning and Urban Design has further analyzed the proposed hotel development regulations and will be holding a public hearing to present the revised regulations at 5 p.m. Feb. 3 the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.    At the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting , City [...]

City of Asheville to extend opportunity to provide public input on  the South Slope Vision Plan to April 8

The City of Asheville Planning and Urban Design Department has decided to extend to April 8th the period to participate in the South Slope Visioning Plan.   Staff want to hear from the community if there’s something missing from the plan, so the draft is available for the public to review and provide comments. [...]

City of Asheville to launch pilot monthly parking program to address downtown workers’ needs

  Parking downtown can be a challenge, especially for Asheville service industry and retail workers. A survey by the Downtown Commission and Asheville Downtown Association showed that most employees of downtown businesses rely on driving to get to work, and that 64% of  businesses would like to see more parking downtown.   Survey respondents indicated that 40% of [...]

City to resume parking garage fees Aug. 1, continues initiatives to support businesses 

  Beginning Aug. 1, the City of Asheville and Buncombe County will reinstate parking fees for the City- and County-owned parking garages.     On March 18, following the State and Local State of Emergency declarations due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, parking garage and metered parking fees were temporarily suspended in order to support more convenient access [...]

College Street closures starting April 23, 2023

The Public Works Streets Division will have a contractor paving College Street from the S. Charlotte Street intersection into the traffic circle beginning on the evening of Sunday, April 23.   The work will take place primarily between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. for minimal traffic disturbances and will last approximately 4 nights. There will be a [...]

Community invited to participate in survey about City-owned downtown Asheville properties

    The community is invited to provide online feedback on draft design concepts for City-owned properties at the intersection of Haywood Street and Page Avenue and the adjacent downtown area.     Feedback will be collected via an online survey. This input opportunity is intended for those  who could not make it to the public presentation and work session [...]

Community to receive update on Haywood Streetscape project during Sept. 5 meeting

  The Haywood Streetscape Improvement project continues to move forward.    This project includes sidewalk rehabilitation, street resurfacing, stormwater improvements, sanitary sewer improvements, and the sourcing, siting and installation of street amenities. An informational meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Sept. 5 at the U.S. Cellular Center Banquet Hall (87 Haywood St., second floor) to share the [...]

Downtown Asheville update: 33-35 Page Avenue

On March 8, 2016, Asheville City Council voted to proceed with the demolition of a City-owned building at 33-35 Page Avenue.   The contractor began abatement work on August 3 to remove hazardous materials. That work is expected to be completed within the next one to two weeks. A fence has been installed around the property, including the [...]

Food truck pilot program launches at 68 Haywood

  A mobile food vending pilot program comes to 68 Haywood this year!   With more than 75 food trucks listed as active in the Asheville area on ashevillefoodtrucks.com, offerings could be wide ranging — everything from tacos to gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.   It’s one of several temporary uses recommended by the Haywood Street Community Advisory Team, [...]

Get the scoop on projects at City Manager’s Development Forum

Want to learn where the City is on its Comprehensive Plan Update and the Haywood Street visioning process? Find out about these projects and more during the spring edition of the Asheville City Manager’s Development Forum. Set for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, June 17, at the U.S. Cellular Center Banquet Hall the event, free [...]

Haywood Streetscape Improvement project moves forward with construction contract, anticipated to begin in January

    The Haywood Streetscape Improvement project is another step closer to construction, following City Council’s Nov. 12 authorization to execute a contract with Tennoca Construction Company as well as a memorandum of understanding with the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) of Buncombe County for cost sharing.   This project includes sidewalk replacement, street resurfacing, stormwater improvements, sanitary sewer replacement [...]

Haywood Streetscape Project complete in time for the holidays

  The City of Asheville is happy to announce the completion of the Haywood Streetscape and Infrastructure Improvement project, which features expanded public sidewalk space and improved pedestrian access and amenities. The project, which took 10 months of construction, included sewer and water line upgrades in the Haywood Street vicinity (including College Street, Walnut Street and Rankin [...]

Improvements coming to Asheville’s South Pack Square Plaza

South Pack Square Plaza will see some enhancements soon. What/where? The improvements to the plaza at the intersection of Biltmore and Patton Avenues are designed to improve the way people move through the area  and enhance its suitability as a popular location for street performers. They are part of City of Asheville’s public space management initiatives focusing [...]

May Walkable Wall Street event to serve as kick-off for Strive Not to Drive Week

Put on your walking (and biking!) shoes and get ready to experience Asheville’s Wall Street for fun, pedestrian and bike friendly festivities. The next Walkable Wall Street is set for 2 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, May 13.The third in a pilot series, this Walkable Wall Street marks the launch of events in Asheville for Strive [...]

Medic support area established for downtown public assemblies

  Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, City Manager Debra Campbell, Asheville Police Deputy Chief James Baumstark and Lieutenant Brandon Moore met with UNC Asheville Chancellor Nancy Cable, UNC Asheville students and others who provided medical supplies during Tuesday’s demonstration.     The discussion focused on ways to enhance communication and collaboration. The City of Asheville agreed to reimburse the staff [...]

More downtown Asheville sidewalk improvements in store

Sidewalk improvements will continue to march up College Street with another project this month. On Monday, June 12, Asheville Public Works crews will begin sidewalk work on College Street from North Spruce to North Market streets. “This project will repair damage to the sidewalk and alleviate trip hazards,” said Jerry Yates, Asheville Streets Operation Manager. “Once the [...]

New mural coming to Wall Street stairwell in downtown Asheville

  A new temporary mural will soon be installed on the public stairwell connecting Battery Park and Wall Street. The project, set to start Monday evening, is being done through an agreement between the Asheville Downtown Association Foundation and the City of Asheville.   The Asheville Downtown Association Foundation is funding and managing the installation and maintenance of [...]

On-street parking payment to change regarding use of Passport app

  The City of Asheville is committed to offering safe and convenient payment options for our services, including our parking meters.  In order to provide a mobile payment option at our parking meters, the City currently contracts with Passport Labs. This contract is set to expire Dec. 31.   In order to continue providing [...]

Pop-up uses coming for City-owned downtown space

Asheville Public Works crews removed gravel from the site the week of May 22 to prep it for temporary uses.   Survey launched inviting input on a temporary name too   City-owned properties on Haywood Street and Page Avenue downtown, currently vacant, are being prepared to support flexible short-term uses. On May 23, City Council heard an update from Downtown [...]

Public invited to come downtown to engage in the planning process for the Haywood and Page properties

  The City of Asheville is moving forward with the creation of a master concept plan for City-owned properties on Haywood Street and Page Avenue. The creation of this plan is the next step to implement the community vision for the properties outlined in the Haywood and Page Vision Report. Two public [...]

Sculpture chosen for Lexington Avenue public art installation

The 15-foot-high new public artwork by Beatrice Coron will be installed at 65 N. Lexington Ave.   A thriving downtown Asheville street will become even more vibrant this year with the installation of a new piece of public art on Lexington Avenue.   The City of Asheville is pleased to announce that, after a competitive process, a metal sculpture entitled Lexington Life [...]

Team to craft concept plan for City-owned properties at Haywood Street and Page Avenue

    At their Aug. 27 meeting, Asheville City Council authorized City staff to enter into a contract to create a design plan to redevelop City-owned properties at Haywood Street and Page Avenue.   The services provided by the Nelson Byrd Woltz team will include architecture,  landscape architecture, real estate analysis, community engagement, civil engineering, urban planning, including transportation  [...]

The City announces November and December artist schedule of Art in the Heart and opportunities to engage

  A new line up of Art in the Heart artworks and experiences will be in Pack Square Plaza for November and December 2022. A final schedule for January-March artists will be released subsequently. To learn more about the artists and their projects, please visit ashevillenc.gov/artintheheart.    Images and videos of completed projects have been, and will [...]

Walkable Wall Street to kick off after Asheville Holiday Parade

As part of City and stakeholder efforts to improve public space management and placemaking downtown, a collaboration between the City, Wall Street merchants and Asheville Downtown Association called Walkable Wall Street launches on Nov. 19, the same day as the Asheville Holiday Parade. Walkable Wall Street incorporates a temporary closure to cars along the corridor [...]

We’re asking you: What tools would help Asheville residents stay informed about development

The City of Asheville wants to help residents stay informed about development projects by connecting residents to information about proposed projects as well as the review and approval process. The City has several online tools already available to help people find information about development projects, such as the City’s Technical Review Committee project map. To [...]

Who’s up this week on What’s up AVL! – Planning and Urban Design Staff

What’s Up AVL! The City of Asheville’s bi-monthly radio show gives the community the chance to take a deep dive with City of Asheville staff and departments. Learn about different departments and what projects are taking place in your community. This week, the City of Asheville sits down with Stephanie Dahl and Karli Stephenson from the Planning and [...]