Asheville News

Rumor control: Hendersonville Times-News building sold

Jason Sandford July 26, 2009

Jason Sandford

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

Word on the street is that the New York Times Co., the owner of the Hendersonville Times-News, has sold the building that houses the newspaper on Four Seasons Boulevard. I have unconfirmed information that the sale of the building closed on Friday. I haven’t had a chance to check with the local Register of Deeds office yet, but will.

Why is this important? A few things:

– It’s a sign that the newspaper has shrunk to the size that it doesn’t need a big building any longer. The printing press moved out more than a year ago and there’s literally not the staff to justify a big building.

– The newspaper building sits on the main drag in Hendersonville, Four Seasons Boulevard. It’s the perfect spot for another big box retailer or restaurant chain. There are tons on that strip already.

– Finally, this may be a sign of things to come for the Asheville Citizen-Times. So far, every down-sizing move the Hendersonville Times-News has made, the Citizen-Times has made, only a little bit later. H’ville shipped its printing press to a sister paper in South Carolina and so did the C-T. The H’ville paper consolidated its copy desk with its S.C. sister paper, and that’s in the works for the Citizen-Times. Looks like a building sale could plausibly be on the boards, as well.

Jason Sandford

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

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8 Comments

paperboy November 3, 2009

Did you ever update this? The Times-News property was sold to Goodwill in July. tax stamp of $5,300….

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paperboy November 3, 2009

The Citizen-Times is OUT of the Sardis building. I am told it has been sold.

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garyharris1932 November 3, 2009

A few years ago we attended the graduation or our daughter in Clarksville, Tn
Right after the graduation we headed for our sons graduation in Charlotte, N.C. which would take place the next day. Outside Nashville we saw traffic heading west at a complete stand still. Backed up for fifteen miles. People were outside their cars walking around and passing the time. It seems this was a good day to halt traffic in both lanes and repave the road.
We came into Hendersonville, N. C. and decided to book a room and leave the next morning. The next morning we were told there had been an accident involving the spillage of oil on the interestate and we had to take a detour. Thanks to a group of men in the town we were directed at every turn which way to go. What a contrast. Tennessee knew months in advance that the paving would take place but were not prepared. N.C. had an emergy situation and handled it beautifully. We arrieved for our son’s graduation with less than an hour to spare. Thanks Hendersonville, N. C.

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Anon July 28, 2009

The ol’ Sardis Rd facility will be vacated by sometime in October. I didnt hear the word "sold".

It might be interesting to see the press dismantled.

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ashevillelokel July 27, 2009

The spot O’Henry would be a great place for a 23 story condo!

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local July 27, 2009

With all of the consolidation, the TNews does not need the building on 4 Seasons Blvd. There are only 30 – 40 employees that work out of that building.. Publisher retired earlier this year. The ad director/ gm was named a regional ad director and spends very little time in Hendersonville. Lots of ad design is outsourced, copy editing is done in Spartanburg etc…

The dangerous thing about the demise of this newspaper is that there is no investigative reporting. Current mayor and his cronies put up 4-way stop signs with new cross walks etc… only 1 year later to change their minds and put up new stop lights. No one seems to want to put a price tag on this project.

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JBiggs July 26, 2009

The old production building is being used as the distribution center. We dont have another place to do the distribution.

Currently the Sardis Rd. Facility IS for sale, but no one has bought it (that Im aware of). Haven’t heard much on a potential location for a new distribution center.

The Sunday paper alone requires about the equivalent of 3 semi-trailers full.
Not like we can do this on the side of the road somewhere in a ol’ shack.

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Dude Man July 26, 2009

Why doesn’t the CT move out to where the presses used to be for the time being and sell the property downtown?

The real estate in Asheville is worth some coin. It really looks like the CT will move out of downtown in the next year and that could be the best financial decision Gannett has made all year. It would also save many jobs.

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