Ashvegas reader: Biltmore Avenue construction in downtown Asheville uncovers … something

Jason Sandford April 28, 2011

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Note hear from loyal reader Wilhelm, referencing the construction of a new hotel and parking deck along Biltmore Avenue:

Hello Ashvegas

Asheville’s Big Dig, the 21 million dollar parking garage, has unearthed… a big hole. It looks like it might be the base of a chimney. Some workers were scratching around in it this evening.

Just wondering if you knew about it or knew what it was?

It will surely add another few million to the cost. Better call Public Interest Partnerships (or Pimp, as I like to call them)! There might be a few more dimes they can squeeze out of this project.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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5 Comments

JBo May 4, 2011

@owen : neat! thanks for the info!

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owen May 1, 2011

There used to be a hotel there, called the Swannanoa Hotel (later the Swannanoa-Berkeley) which was built in the 1880s, burned, rebuilt in the 1910s, and torn down in 1968. Whatever that is, is likely a part of the old hotel.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ncccha/4442139966/

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boogs56 April 29, 2011

i hate parking garages. tell me this one won't look like a terrible concrete eyesore for 21 million dollars.

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anonymous April 28, 2011

My guess is that it's some remnant of the large Swannanoa Hotel that occupied the site in the early 1900's. Maybe something from the boiler system.

That a big hotel was once located on that piece of ground is always a fun fact to recall whenever people start complaining about a hotel building there now.

Reply
Murphy April 28, 2011

That something is where the taxpayers' money is going …. down a big hole.

Reply