Nearly five months after fire gutted Planned Parenthood’s offices at 603 Biltmore Ave., the women’s-health clinic plans to reopen in renovated space there on July 10.
A Feb. 17 fire burned a utility room and kitchen at the offices, causing severe smoke and fire damage. Planned Parenthood officials said an accidental fire in an electrical system caused a small gas-furnace explosion. After the fire, the organization opened temporary office space on Merrimon Avenue and has been serving clients there since March.
The Planned Parenthood offices on Merrimon will be closed July 8 and 9 for the move, then open again July 10 at the Biltmore Avenue location.
The Asheville office of Planned Parenthood, celebrating 30 years in Asheville this year, serves about 3,000 patients and is the only Planned Parenthood location in Western North Carolina.
— Jason Sandford, multimedia editor
Thanks Planned Parenthood, for all your hard work.