From the Asheville Downtown Association:
This evening, the Haywood Street Advisory Committee will present its initial vision to the public at the US Cellular Center’s Banquet Hall beginning at 5:30pm. The City Council-appointed committee members have worked diligently for nine months to develop a vision for the site located at Haywood St and Page Ave, across from the Basilica of St. Lawrence.
The Asheville Downtown Association’s board of directors has long believed that the site should include both open public space and properly scaled mixed-use development. The inclusion of partial development on the site offers income to the City from both the sale and the additional property tax. This revenue can help offset the cost to design, build, maintain and manage the public space. Our most recent issues survey also supports this idea.
It’s also important to consider the desire for public spaces in other parts of downtown, the South Slope area for example, and in other neighborhoods across the city. Given our City’s budget constraints, we must consider funding for public spaces as a whole. Thoughtful development on this site that prioritizes local interests will activate and enhance the portion of the site maintained as public space.
Please click here to review our Haywood Street Infographic which outlines the City investment already made in the site as well as potential tax revenues.
We encourage you to attend tonight’s presentation to hear about the work of the committee and provide your own input on the vision.
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