Word on the street: New boutique hotel coming to Market Street in downtown Asheville

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Word on the street: construction workers in the area say this building is slated to be Asheville’s newest boutique hotel.

The building is located on Market Street, right across from the Mountain Housing Opportunities’ project to build affordable housing units and mixed use buildings on Eagle/Market streets. The area is known as The Block, and was once a thriving business district for African-American owned businesses in Asheville.

The current construction project, which is a partnership between MHO and Ealge Market Streets Development Corp., includes 62 unites of housing, with rents ranging from $200 to $800 a month, and retail space for several businesses. Here’s a photo gallery I shot in April of the construction.

Asheville is experiencing a boom of new downtown hotel construction. There are a handful of projects planned. One hotel on Haywood Street is well underway, and site prep on another hotel/office project planned at the corner of Charlotte and College streets is happening now.

 

 

39 Comments

Matt September 27, 2014 - 3:30 pm

Surely not all these hotels are going to be solvent in the end. It seems like our capacity will be higher than the demand in a few years when all these projects are realized.

Harry September 28, 2014 - 7:40 am

The new hotels will thrive. We have suffered from a short supply for quite awhile now. But, if I were the owner of any of the flea bag hotels/motels in and around downtown, I would be very worried.

indie October 1, 2014 - 1:14 pm

There are fewer Asheville downtown hotel rooms than there were 100 years ago, so I doubt it will be a problem. Rates have soared in recent years, so the added supply will be great.

Matt October 2, 2014 - 7:32 pm

Just thinking of all the, little hotels, BnB’s and Air BnB’s…that adds up to quiet a bit, too.
Time will tell.

Jessika September 27, 2014 - 2:06 pm

Oh Jesus h Christ. Over it. Take your money somewhere else or invest it in something that actually benefits this COMMUNITY and not just the tourists. I realize tourists bolster our economy but I’d love to see construction that actually benefits we the people. Downtown is becoming just as gross as Charlotte

smytty September 28, 2014 - 8:06 am

You clearly haven’t spent much time in Charlotte.

jessika September 29, 2014 - 3:49 pm

I have spent too much time in Charlotte. I do not want Asheville to become as icky and douchey as Charlotte. We are known for our quirky spots and weirdos. All I am saying is that I wish healthy expansion would become part of the plan. I wish that city council would actually give to shits about planning and approving. It’s like we hired them to do nothing.

smytty September 29, 2014 - 4:52 pm

Charlotte is oh-so-much worse in so many ways.

I’m happy that places like the LAB, Wicked Weed, Aloft Hotel, etc, all exist. It means that the people who come from Charlotte, ATL, or wherever else can go there when they are up here and leave my quirky spots to me and my weird friends.

I don’t honestly see how a boutique hotel isn’t healthy expansion. It’ll bring some jobs, I reckon.

indie October 1, 2014 - 1:16 pm

Jessika with a K, what exactly do you have in mind? And, btw, the city council has no authority to decide what people can build so long as the code is met.

jtroop September 27, 2014 - 1:23 pm

outside of the quality of life, there just isn’t enough infrastructure for mid-size companies to start or relocate here. The Triangle, Triad, Charlotte and Atlanta offer better support, larger talent pools, better airports, larger academia footprint, more competitive healthcare, etc. etc.

Quaint little-ole-Asheville is just a short drive away…..

hauntedheadnc September 27, 2014 - 3:31 pm

All of those places were once our size, but overcame their limitations due to visionary leadership and a citizenry who accepted and demanded change. There is no reason at all why Asheville can’t be a hub of gainful employment while also retaining everything worth loving about it. All it takes is leaders willing to chase the vision of something better and citizens willing to demand something better.

Which is to say, given leadership that says we’re not suited for industry so don’t bother, and NIMBY’s who would fight every last little thing anyway, you’re right. It will never happen. We’re too content holding ourselves back and exporting our talent and our graduates.

AVL LVR September 27, 2014 - 7:46 pm

Asheville used to be the third largest city in NC.

AVL LVR September 27, 2014 - 8:05 pm

People elect the leaders. Asheville’s citizens are responsible to be the entrepreneurs and visionaries and builders.

Stop complaining about developments like Biltmore Lake or blocking developments like Coggins Farm in Riceville. The more houses there are, the more affordable ones will be available.

My brother lives in Wilson, NC. Nearly everyone including unemployed blacks have their own home (at 1/2 to 1/3 the comparable price). There are practically no mobile homes (mobile homes should be banned immediately as they are ugly and a cop out to real home building). They are not building what they consider affordable homes. They are building luxury homes. Everyone moves up on the ladder as new more luxurious homes are built.

Asheville’s challenges:
1. Land expensive to build on due to mountains.
2. Fast population growth
3. Controversially, the generational economic disadvantages due to the historic isolation of the mountains (lack of roads) and uneducated Scotch-Irish who settled the Southern Appalachians (think WV and south) vs. the wealthier more educated English who settled the coastal plain.

hauntedheadnc September 27, 2014 - 9:01 pm

Let me just address this:

“Stop complaining about developments like Biltmore Lake or blocking developments like Coggins Farm in Riceville. The more houses there are, the more affordable ones will be available.”

There are better ways to grow than greenfield suburban development. Problem is, Asheville’s NIMBY’s oppose *all* development, not just bad development.

In my perfect dream city, there would be every legislative incentive used to push development into the city, into every unused and underused parcel downtown, and in certain other neighborhoods earmarked for urban density. I would much rather see serious, mixed-use high-density urban growth than I would see low-density, single-use suburban sprawl. Urban growth allows growth without necessarily creating congestion, because people can walk to most of where they need to go. Suburban growth guarantees congestion because nobody can do anything without driving.

So, in my perfect Asheville, there would be apartment and office buildings sprouting all over downtown, and there would be small apartment buildings going up on empty parcels throughout neighborhoods like Montford, Chestnut Hill, Oakley, West Asheville, and the like — just like the handful of historic 1920’s-era apartment buildings in those neighborhoods now.

AVL LVR September 27, 2014 - 10:37 pm

Before the automobile (which helped kill trains), towns were mixed-use high-density by necessity. If we want to bring back mixed-use high-density urban growth, we must have the transportation (rail, bike, etc.) infrastructure to support it.

Biltmore Park is an example of a mixed-use high-density and suburban development hybrid. It has several parking garages.

I’d be careful not to destroy the character of historical neighborhoods. North Asheville (Montfort) is a special place. Out of character intensive development may not belong. At least, development should match the architectural style they are in.

hauntedheadnc September 28, 2014 - 2:34 am

Apologies if this appears out of order in the line of responses. The way replies work on here is kind of weird in the way that they dead-end.

Growth and transportation are kind of a chicken/egg situation. You need dense growth to justify alternate transportation, and you need alternate transportation to serve the growth. Otherwise, you get growth in a car-oriented infrastructure, and everyone stews and suffers for several years until something is built to allow people to get around some way other than by car.

“Biltmore Park is an example of a mixed-use high-density and suburban development hybrid. It has several parking garages.”

I’m quite familiar with Biltmore Park. It’s downtown South Asheville, basically, and yes it does have lots of parking decks. Now imagine other nodes like it build around town and connected by transit. To my knowledge, Biltmore Park isn’t even on a bus line. Frankly, it also needs a lot more variation in materials, heights, and rooflines. It looks as soulless as Charlotte.

“I’d be careful not to destroy the character of historical neighborhoods. North Asheville (Montfort) is a special place. Out of character intensive development may not belong. At least, development should match the architectural style they are in.”

I’d be careful of that as well. There is nothing I loathe more than “tear-downs” in which the very houses that gave character to the neighborhood some rich dilettante wants to live in are torn down to make way for the dilettante’s charmless tumor of a house. That I do not and never will support. What I’d rather see are, like I said, *small* apartment buildings — of which there are already several — going up on empty lots in the historic neighborhoods. Things like the Colonial in Montford or the Commodore in Chestnut Hill, or even simple triple-deckers like you see in New England. Density need not be offensive. It would be nice to require them to match the surrounding character, but then again, a big part of Asheville’s character is juxtaposition itself. Just look at downtown. If you wanted a new building to match something, it might, but it would certainly not match that building’s neighbor. Asheville’s architecture goes out of its way to clash, and that’s part of what’s so refreshing about it.

Sam September 29, 2014 - 5:15 am

Scot-Irish, or Scots-Irish. Scotch is a drink.

Big Al September 29, 2014 - 5:27 pm

Sam, you are wrong.

“Scotch” (relating to Scots as people or Scottish things) HAS been a culturally and linguistically accepted term since Elizabethan times.

I was just in Scotland and asked several natives about their preference, and they did not give a rip. They said it was all the same to them. It is only a few conceited Americans of Scottish ancestry that promote this fallacy.

luther blissett September 29, 2014 - 6:14 pm

It is only a few conceited Americans of Scottish ancestry that promote this fallacy.

Uh huh, and I’m sure that the Scots to whom you spoke weren’t thinking about that sweet sweet American tourist income. Sorry, ‘Big Al’: they’d let you call them Jocko McSporran if you’re paying the check.

luther blissett September 29, 2014 - 6:46 pm

Biltmore Park is an example of a mixed-use high-density and suburban development hybrid. It has several parking garages.

Biltmore Park is either a movie backlot or a suburbanite theme park. I’m pretty sure half the people walking around during the day are robots.

AVL LVR September 27, 2014 - 8:22 pm

5. Land locked up in Pisgah National Park, city and state parks. The more land you preserve, the less you will have to build on. I for one am willing to pay more for housing if it means I have access to parks for free (no taxes no fees).

The good news despite the sluggishness of local developers (which I’d rather have strong local developers), outside developers like Southwood Realty of Gastonia and others are pouring in. At least 1,400 more apartment units are coming in South AVL within the next 24 month. William Ratchford, vice president of Southwood Realty could even expect rents to drop $150 or $200 in the market (I saw their rents in other areas as low as a 3 bedroom for under $600). Rusty Pulliam warns of a price wars which translates to more housing affordability.

AVL LVR September 27, 2014 - 8:25 pm

Correction: Pisgah National Forest, Bent Creek Recreational Area, etc

ashevillain September 29, 2014 - 10:41 am

I am not holding my breath on the deflation of rent rates.

AVL LVR September 27, 2014 - 10:37 am

A new boutique hotel is a major improvement. As far as affordable housing is concerned, I think people in Asheville tend to have this north south thing going (rich or poor). On the coastal plain, it is black & white. Still, where my parents live in Wilson, NC the poorest blacks have better more affordable housing than the poor whites here. There almost no mobile homes (I would ban mobile homes immediately as they are ugly and are an excuse not to construct nice houses). Houses are 1/3 to 1/2 the price of Buncombe County.

So what is Buncombe County’s problem? Could it be all the protest we get each time a luxury apartment or Biltmore Lake is proposed. They aren’t affordable, but do you think Wilson is building what they consider the most “the affordable housing”. They are building the most expensive houses. Prices go down as more houses and apartments are built. Everyone moves up a ladder. Mobile homes are a cop out.

Why aren’t there enough builders in AVL? Are the English smarter than the Scotch-Irish who settled from West Virginia to NC? Most likely it is cumulative generational disadvantages. The Scotch Irish who settled the Southern Appalachian were poorer and less educated than the English who settled the coastal plain. That carried down to the children.

ashevillain September 29, 2014 - 10:43 am

Why the racial comparison?

AVL LVR September 29, 2014 - 12:55 pm

They are of the same white “race”, though racial minorities too will routinely use the fact their parents were poor for the reason they are poor. Let’s just say that rich parents give their children a head start. Poorer people settled the mountains and their poverty carried on generationally.

NC’s mountains are more affluent than WV, though because of outsiders (Vanderbilt, Moses Cone, retirees) and tourists. Better roads are helping too.

Sam: It is both Scotch-Irish and Scots-Irish according to Wikipedia. Google Scotch-Irish Society of the United States of America

AVL LVR September 27, 2014 - 10:36 am

A new boutique hotel is a major improvement. As far as affordable housing is concerned, I think people in Asheville tend to have this north south thing going (rich or poor). On the coastal plain, it is black & white. Still, where my parents live in Wilson, NC the poorest blacks have better more affordable housing than the poor whites here. There almost no mobile homes (I would ban mobile homes immediately as they are ugly and are an excuse not to construct nice houses). Houses are 1/3 to 1/2 the price of Buncombe County.

So what is Buncombe County’s problem? Could it be all the protest we get each time a luxury apartment or Biltmore Lake is proposed. They aren’t affordable, but do you think Wilson is building what they consider the most “the affordable housing”. They are building the most expensive houses. Prices go down as more houses and apartments are built. Everyone moves up a ladder. Mobile homes are a cop out.

Why aren’t there enough builders in AVL? Are the English smarter than the Scotch-Irish who settled from West Virginia to NC? Most likely it is cumulative generational disadvantages. The Scotch Irish who settled the Southern Appalachian were poorer and less educated than the English who settled the coastal plain. That carried down to the children.

Other factors: Isolation. The expense to build on hills and mountains. The high price of land. No one admits it, but the more land you lock up for parks or National Forest, the less land there is to build on. States with the most land locked up (like out West especially Jackson, WY). By the way, I’d rather pay a little more and have access to free parks (which is not taxed like land you might otherwise own. Higher housing cost, but the use of non-taxed land).

There is some good news. At least 1,400 apartment units are being built in South Asheville. Rusty Pulliam has been talking about the coming price wars and William Ratchford, vice president of Southwood Realty mentioned rents might drop $150 or $200 a month. Key thing to learn here, build more houses and don’t block development like the Coggins Farm property in Riceville if you want affordable housing.

luther blissett September 29, 2014 - 5:55 pm

build more houses and don’t block development like the Coggins Farm property in Riceville if you want affordable housing.

Yeah, don’t try that kind of dumb emotional blackmail. The fundamental problem with the Coggins development is that there’s no damn access to sustain housing of that density: Old Farm School Road subsides towards the Swannanoa every time it’s rebuilt. Trying to frame it as a “European village” development was BS when it first came up in front of the county, and it’s still BS now. Comparing it to the apartment explosion behind the SAVL Earth Fare or River Ridge is idiotic. Copper Coggins wanted to cash out; the developers wanted (and still want) to put the negative externalities on the county’s tab.

Lots of For Sale signs around Riceville, too, at prices that are no less affordable (well under $200k) than the Coggins developers are planning for their new build. Perhaps more square footage, but you can do that when you build cheaply to sell quickly.

Meg September 27, 2014 - 4:38 am

In general, I agree with this sentiment but they are doing affordable housing across the street from this as Jason mentioned in the post.

hauntedheadnc September 27, 2014 - 5:37 am

True enough, and believe you me, I’m grateful it’s coming, but affordable housing really is the one thing we honestly can’t have too much of in this city nowadays.

It really just irks me how faddish development here is. It’s like stampeding cattle: one person does something and suddenly fifty more are running around wild-eyed and bumping into walls in their rush to do exactly the same thing. We’ve seen it with breweries, we’re seeing it with hotels, and the restaurant scene is already to the point of cannibalization — a city this size can only support so many overpriced places to eat, and we’re to the point that if one opens now, probably another’s got to close, and it’s getting harder and harder to even find a place besides the suburban chains that the people who actually live and work here can afford to patronize.

Basically, we’re building up Asheville for the rich people who play here, with hotels and second homes, and overpriced restaurants. Next to nobody’s doing anything for the regular people who actually work here.

Harry September 27, 2014 - 9:29 am

It seems you have discovered an untapped market niche. Why don’t you open your own restaurant for “regular” people? Sell food as cheap as you want. I eat out at least 3-4x each week and would definitely be up for some cheap eats.

hauntedheadnc September 27, 2014 - 3:26 pm

I don’t open a restaurant for a couple of reasons, the first being that I can’t cook anything people would pay to eat, and the second being that I have quite another career track in mind, and it’s one that does not suffer fools gladly. If I owned a restaurant, I’d be in jail by the end of the first week after I broke something over the head of someone complaining about something stupid that they just made up anyway.

indie October 1, 2014 - 1:23 pm

So Haunted, u r just more or less running your mouth, right?

Who told you there were too many breweries? Hotels? etc.

Who put you in charge?

hauntedheadnc October 1, 2014 - 5:02 pm

Indie,

Nobody put me in charge, but despite Republicans’ best efforts, I still have the right to my opinion, and my opinion is that development is Asheville is too faddish, not nearly diversified enough, and in large part does little or nothing to make this city economically healthier, more affordable, or more competitive. If I’m wrong, then tell me why our major export is graduates who go off to some city they hate, like Charlotte, but where they can actually afford to live only working one job, and not needing five roommates to make the rent.

Anonymous September 27, 2014 - 10:55 am

I would love to finally see some more *affordable* office space anywhere within walking distance to downtown. The more people brought into DT for work on a daily basis, the less chance restaurants have of cannibalizing themselves.

luther blissett September 29, 2014 - 5:43 pm

Seconding that. Small businesses have a terrible time finding decent affordable space downtown, especially with so many property owners hoping to sell into the next brewery/restaurant/hotel/condo conversion.

orulz September 26, 2014 - 6:03 pm

Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church owns three old industrial buildings, formerly from the Asheville Supply and Foundry company. They announced in 2009 that they would demolish two of them (including this one) because maintenance was too expensive. This blog covered it back then.

City council even approved the demolition and everything. Thankfully they never went through with it. A boutique hotel sounds much better than a weed filled lot.

hauntedheadnc September 26, 2014 - 5:46 pm

I love to see a decaying building restored and brought back to life, but my God… the only three things anyone knows how to build in this damn town are restaurants, breweries, and hotels. I wish someone would start some new development fads, say an affordable housing fad, or a software company fad, or an insurance headquarter fad. It would be nice to see every third building becoming one of those for a while.

indie October 1, 2014 - 1:25 pm

There are lots of things people would love to see. Thanks for listing yours.

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